Survey studies rate of condom use among gay, bisexual men

A recent study conducted by IU and George Mason University and published in the Journal of Sexual Medicine researched the rate of condom use by men who have sex with other men.

The researchers asked 15,000 men whether they used a condom during their most recent act of anal intercourse.

According to the study, one-third of the subjects reported a condom being present during their most recent act of anal intercourse. The researchers determined the rate of condom use varies according to certain factors.

Michael Reece, assistant dean for research and graduate studies in the School of Health, Physical Education, and Recreation, said men were more likely to use protection if they were having sex in their own home or their partner’s home.

“These places are more stable and regular,” Reece said. “People are more likely to use condoms.”

Reece said the researchers asked the men specific details of their last anal sexual encounter, such as where it took place, who it was with and whether a condom was used.

He said the researchers wanted to pinpoint specific events rather than just past behaviors.

The study surveyed men ages 18 to 87, all members of Online Buddies, an operator of websites that help men seeking social or sexual encounters meet each other. The site has more than one million members.

Reece said the rate of condom use among gay and bisexual men is actually higher than among heterosexual couples.

He said the study shows that when men did not use a condom, it was usually for specific reasons, such as if they were having sex with a committed partner or other trusted individual.

The risks of not using a condom during intercourse, such as HIV infections and unplanned pregnancy in heterosexual instances, are the same for everyone, Reece said.

Men who consider themselves black, Asian or Latino were more likely to use a condom than white men. He said the data collection for minority groups has improved.

The study also showed that men ages 18-24 were more likely to use condoms than their older counterparts.

“This is a generation of people who grew up in the shadow of the HIV epidemic,” Reece said. “Most of their parents are around that age where they know how scary it was when HIV came.”

This was the first event-level study like this on the national level.

“The U.S. Census doesn’t provide a way to do this,” Reece said.

He said his team wanted to try to understand condom use in a contextual,
holistic way.

He said many myths were busted through this study, such as that gay men, particularly black, Hispanic, Asian and younger gay men, do not use condoms as much as their heterosexual, Caucasian and older male counterparts.

“Condoms that are on the shelf today are just better than they were 20 years ago,” he said.

“They are the most accessible, affordable, effective products in public health.”

­— Sydney Murray