Dating and Protective Sex Behaviors of Young Black MSM Who Use Dating Phone Applications

Background: HIV incidence is increasing among young Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) despite relatively stable rates in the general United States population. Dating phone applications (apps) have become popular among YBMSM to find sexual partners; however, the impact of these applications on decision-making around HIV risk and protective behaviors is understudied in this group. Methods: We conducted a qualitative interview study to explore the dating experiences and sex behaviors of both HIV- negative and -positive YBMSM who reported regular use of dating phone apps. We used the Integrated Behavior Model to frame our exploratory qualitative investigation of the potential influences of phone apps on condom use, HIV status disclosure, and regular HIV testing. Twenty YBMSM aged 18-24 were recruited from community organizations and HIV clinics in Atlanta, Georgia, to participate in in-depth, semi-structured interviews. A modified grounded theory approach was used to guide our inductive and deductive qualitative analysis. Results: We found that intentions to perform protective sex behaviors were both facilitated and hindered by the communication features (e.g. chatting) of dating phone apps. Additionally, perceptions of masculinity, level of physical attraction, gay community involvement, discrepancies between online and in-person identities, peer norms around dating phone app use, and HIV- and sexuality-related stigma emerged as important influences on participants’ communication expectations and protective sex behaviors. Conclusions: Future research can build on these findings to develop and test phone app-based primary and secondary HIV prevention interventions focused on YBMSM.