HIV knowledge, attitudes, and sexual characteristics of university male students who have sex with men: A cross-sectional survey

Xi Gong(1), Duoqin Huang(2), Yan Liu(3), Jiangqing Chen(4), Hong Wang(5),


(1) The School of Humanities &Social Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
(2) The First Clinical Medical College, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China
(3) Ganzhou Wenqing Experimental School, Ganzhou 341000, Jiangxi, China
(4) The School of Humanities &Social Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
(5) The School of Humanities &Social Sciences, Gannan Medical University, Ganzhou, 341000, Jiangxi, China
Corresponding Author

Abstract


To explore the knowledge, attitudes, and sexual behaviors regarding HIV among university men who have sex with men (MSM) , we conducted a questionnaire survey with 462 students from 15 universities in 11city of Jiangxi Province. The HIV awareness rate was 69.1%..The reported rate of engaging in sexting was 65.2%. The overall attitude towards sex was relatively open, with 85.9% having engaged in high-risk sexual behaviors. Regression results indicated that factors influencing high-risk sexual behaviors included academic major, awareness of HIV knowledge, attitudes towards multiple sexual partners, attitudes towards premarital sex, and attitudes towards homosexual marriage. Although MSM university students have some knowledge of HIV, their attitudes and high-risk behaviors are a matter of concern. Targeted sexual health education and interventions are needed to reduce high-risk behaviors and HIV infection risks.

References


Yan X, Ni Y, Lu Y, Wang Q, Tang W, Tan R K J, Tucker J D, Hall B J, Baral S, Song H, Zhou Y and Wu D, Homoprejudiced Violence Experiences and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors among Chinese Men Who Have Sex with Men: Depression Severity and Recreational Drug Usage as Potential Mediators, Arch Sex Behav, 2024, 53(4):1265-1276.

He J J, Ju H and Wu C, Incidence of new HIV infection and its influencing factors among men who have sex with men in China: a meta-analysis. Preventive Medicine, 2022, 34(1): 70-77.

Fan S, Li P, Hu Y, Gong H, Yu M, Ding Y, Luo Z, Wu G, Ouyang L and Zou H, Geosocial Networking Smartphone App Use and High-Risk Sexual Behaviors Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Attending University in China: Cross-sectional Study. JMIR public health and surveillance, 2022(No.3):e31033.

Xie L, Mo P, Wang Z, Tian X and Lau J, Men who have sex with men were more depressed than their counterparts because of lower social support and higher loneliness: A comparative survey among Chinese university students. J Affect Disord,, 2024, 353:11-18.

Mwaniki S W, Kaberia P M, Mugo P M and Palanee-Phillips T, HIV prevalence and associated risk factors among young tertiary student men who have sex with men (MSM) in Nairobi, Kenya: a respondent-driven sampling survey AIDS Res Ther. 2023;20(1):7.

Liu Y, Xian Y, Liu X, Cheng Z, Wei S, Wang J, Chen J, Li C, Ma J, Yang J, Liu F, Yu M, Chen Z and Cui Z, Significant insights from a National survey in China: PrEP awareness, willingness, uptake, and adherence among YMSM students, BMC Public Health, 2024, 24(1):1009.

Sun J, Li FJ, Yang BS, He J and Wang X, Sexual behaviors and AIDS-related attitude among college students, Henan. Modern Preventive Medicine, 2017,44(15):2788-2791.

Wang Y, Wang HJ, Peng C, Cheng JH, Rong FJ and Yu YZ, Association between sexual orientation and high-risk sexual behaviors among college students in Hubei Province.Chin J Sch Health, 2023,44(06):840-844.

Madigan S, Ly A, Rash C L, Van Ouytsel J and Temple J R, Prevalence of Multiple Forms of Sexting Behavior Among Youth: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis, JAMA Pediatrics, 2018, 172(4):327-335.

Zhong SY, Tang JY, Ye ST, Zhang GJ, Liang HY, Jia ML and Zhang LY, Analysis of HIV/AIDS Related Health Risk Factors Among MSM College Students in Chengdu. J Prev Med Inf, 2021(12):1680-1685.

Wang YQ, Liu YF and Ge L, AIDS knowledge and sexual behavior among 493 male male college students in Lanzhou. Pract Prev Med, 2023(5):604-607.

Huang YY, Ma YH, Hu YF, Peng HS, Wang XY, Zhou J and Li TJ, Characteristics of the age at first intercourse and associated risk factors among college students in 15 provinces of China. Capital Journal of Public Health, 2017,11(03):99-102.

Guo PP, Jiang MM, Yu HY and Ye J, Impact of Fear of Missing Out on High-Risk Sexual Behaviors among College Students in Shanghai. Chin J Derm Venereol 2020; 34: 1044-1049.

Grubbs J B, Kraus, S W and Perry S L, Self-reported addiction to pornography in a nationally representative sample: The roles of use habits, religiousness, and moral incongruence. J Behav Addict, 2019, 8(1):88-93.

Yang YJ, Wang YX, Liu H, Dai J, Ma T,Chang LT and Li PL, The epidemic status for the non-marital and multiple sexual partners' sex behavior among Yunnan university students. Chin J Sch Health, 2016,37(10):1464-1466.

Chen W, Ma Q, Pan X, Chen L, Wang H, Zhou X, Jiang T and Chen W, Characteristics of men who have casual sex with men among Chinese university students: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One, 2024, 19(4):e301817.

Shen Y, Zhang C, Mohammadi L and Li X, Condom stigma among men who have sex with men population: Concept synthesis. Zhong Nan Da Xue Xue Bao Yi Xue Ban, 2022, 47(6):771-779.

Huang MF, Chang YP, Chou WJ and Yen CF, A 4-year prospective investigation of predictive effects of prepandemic sexual stigma, affective symptoms, and family support on fear of COVID-19 among lesbian, gay, and bisexual individuals.Frontiers in Public Health, 2023, 11:1297042.

Zhou J, Yang L, Ma J, Jiang S, Liu Y and Sun Z, Factors Associated With HIV Testing Among MSM in Guilin, China: Results From a Cross-Sectional Study. Int J Public Health, 2022, 67:1604612.

Zhao JS,He JM,ChenX,Zhen J,Tan BY and Chen J, Current status of HIV/AIDS-related high-risk behavior among college students in Changsha City. Pract Prev Med, 2018,25(06):673-676.

Lyu Z and Chai X, Media Influence on Intergenerational Attitudes toward Non-Conventional Sexual Behaviors in Contemporary China: Evidence from Chinese General Social Survey. Int J Sex Health, 2024, 36(1):77-99.

Wen L, Yang K, Chen J, He L, Xiu M and Qu M, Associations between resilience and symptoms of depression and anxiety among adolescents: Examining the moderating effects of family environment. J Affect Disord, 2023, 340:703-710.

Nicholson A A, Siegel M, Wolf J, Narikuzhy S, Roth S L, Hatchard T, Lanius R A, Schneider M, Lloyd C S, McKinnon M C, Heber A, Smith P, and Lueger-Schuster B ,A systematic review of the neural correlates of sexual minority stress: towards an intersectional minority mosaic framework with implications for a future research agenda. European Journal of Psychotraumatology, 2022, 13(1):2002572.

Hawkins S S, Expansion of Comprehensive Sexuality Education. J Obstet Gynecol Neonatal Nurs, 2024, 53(1):14-25.

Mo P K H, Xin M, Wang Z, Lau J T F, Ye X, Hui K H, Yu F Y and Lee H H, Patterns of sex behaviors and factors associated with condomless anal intercourse during the COVID-19 pandemic among men who have sex with men in Hong Kong: A cross-sectional study. PLoS One, 2024, 19(4):e300988.

Mbarushimana V, Goldstein S and Conco D N, "Not just the consequences, but also the pleasurable sex": a review of the content of comprehensive sexuality education for early adolescents in Rwanda. BMC Public Health, 2023, 23(1):49.

Wang Y, Wilson A, Chen R, Hu Z, Peng K and Xu S, Behind the Rainbow, "Tongqi" Wives of Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: A Systematic Review. Front Psychol, 2019, 10:2929.

Cao H, Zhou N, Fang X and Fine M, Marital well-being and depression in Chinese marriage: Going beyond satisfaction and ruling out critical confounders. J Fam Psychol, 2017, 31(6):775-784.

Li L, Zhu X, Yang C, Hu T, Zhao X, Li C, Wu M, Qiao G and Yang F, Social support and coping style of Tongqi in China: A cross-sectional study.Arch Psychiatr Nurs, 2021,35(3):317-322.

Yan F, Shi C X, Zhang Y, Chen J, Williams A B and Li X, "I'll Change His Sexual Orientation, I Don't Think About HIV": A Qualitative Study to Explore Attitudes, Behaviors, and Experiences Among Wives of Men Who Have Sex With Men in Mainland China. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care, 2020,31(4):428-438.

Wohl A R, Ludwig-Barron N, Dierst-Davies R, Kulkarni S, Bendetson J, Jordan W, Bolan R, Smith T, Cunningham W and Pérez M J, Project Engage: Snowball Sampling and Direct Recruitment to Identify and Link Hard-to-Reach HIV-Infected Persons Who Are Out of Care. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr, 2017,75(2):190-197.


Full Text: PDF

Article Metrics

Abstract View : 375 times
PDF Download : 148 times

Refbacks

  • There are currently no refbacks.