Group sex, suicidality and online partners: implications for HIV and suicide prevention: a short report

ABSTRACT

HIV-related factors and suicide-risk status were assessed among YMSM aged 18–24 years recruited through various MSM-related online social apps in Bangkok (N = 1394). The online survey assessed demographic characteristics, sexual behaviours and suicide-risk status. Measure of suicide risk was taken from the Suicidal Behaviors Questionnaire-Revised (cut-off score of seven or higher). Among participants, 249 (17.9%) reported suicide-risk. In multivariable logistic regression, correlates of suicide-risk status included having sometimes or often ever participated in group sex (AOR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.17–2.14), having received money or opportunities for sex (AOR=1.54, 95% CI: 1.09–2.17), often seeking partners online (AOR=1.59, 95% CI: 1.05–2.39), inconsistent condom use (AOR=1.67, 95% CI: 1.26–2.21), and self-assessed as having “medium” or “high” HIV risk (AOR=2.53, 95% CI: 1.61–3.98 and AOR=3.35, 95% CI: 1.92–5.82, respectively). Findings suggest that HIV risk behaviours shown by YMSM are significantly associated with higher risk of suicide.

KEYWORDS:

• Suicide-risk
• sexual behaviour
• HIV/AIDS
• YMSM
• Thailand

Acknowledgements

The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health. We are grateful to all the participants for their time, and to the community advisory board members who guided this research project.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

Research reported in this publication was supported by the U.S. National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases of the National Institutes of Health under award number R21AI120816 Principal Investigator, Thomas E. Guadamuz.