HIV vulnerabilities and coercive sex at same-sex sexual debut among men who have sex with men in Beijing, China

Abstract

Few studies have examined coercive sex and HIV vulnerabilities among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. The present study seeks to compare individual characteristics between MSM who did and did not experience coercive sex at their MSM sexual debut and to identify HIV risk factors correlated with coercive sex at MSM sexual debut. In 2007, we recruited 167 MSM in Beijing, China by peer-referred social network sampling. Each participant then completed self-administered questionnaires regarding their sexual experiences and practices. Results show that 14% of participants reported coercive sex at MSM sexual debut, of whom 48% reported recent unprotected anal intercourse (UAI). Coercive sex at MSM sexual debut was significantly associated with UAI [adjusted odds ratio (AOR): 5.38, 95% confidence interval: 1.95–14.87] and lifetime number of male sex partners (AOR: 7.25, 95% CI: 2.39–22.01). Coercive sex is harming MSM in China and should be immediately addressed by researchers, public health officials, and MSM community stakeholders.

Keywords:

• China
• HIV
• men who have sex with men
• coercive sex

Acknowledgments

We are indebted to the study participants and Chaoyang CDC staff who made this study possible. This study was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (81273188), the Ministry of Science and Technology of China (2012ZX10004-904 and 2012ZX10001-002), and Chinese State Key Laboratory for Infectious Disease Develop Grant (2012SKLID103) to Yuhua Ruan, a faculty development grant from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Sparkman Center/Framework Program for Global Health (R25TW007501) to Han-zhu Qian, and a graduate training grant from the University of Alabama at Birmingham Sparkman Center/Framework Program for Global Health (R25TW007501) and four-year doctoral fellowship from the University of British Columbia to Stephen W. Pan. Margo E. Pearce received support from a four-year doctoral fellowship from the University of British Columbia.