Community-level norms and condomless anal intercourse among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men who use geosocial-networking smartphone applications in the Deep South

ABSTRACT

Geosocial-networking smartphone applications represent an increasingly common virtual context in which men who have sex with men (MSM) meet their sexual partners. The purpose of the present study is to evaluate community-level sexual behavior norms and their associations with condom use among MSM in Atlanta, Georgia, recruited from a popular smartphone application (n = 92). Engagement in condomless anal intercourse was more common among participants who agreed that, among MSM in their community, (a) it is difficult to negotiate condom use in partnerships where condomless sex has already occurred and (b) suggesting condom use implies one distrusts their partner. These norms may represent barriers to increasing condom use.

KEYWORDS:

• community norms
• condom use
• gay men’s health
• men who have sex with men (MSM)
• smartphone application

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Dr. DeMarc A. Hickson for his comments on an earlier version of this brief report. In addition, the authors thank the participants for their contributions to the study.