Sexual behaviors and risk for sexually transmitted infections among teenage men who have sex with men

Abstract

Objectives: To report on sexual behaviors and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in their teens, when many MSM engage in their first sexual experiences.

Methods: MSM aged 16 to 20 years were recruited via community and other sources. Men completed a questionnaire about their sexual behaviors and were screened for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, and HIV.

Results: Two hundred men were included. The median age was 19 years. The median age at first insertive or receptive anal intercourse was 17 years. Half of men reported sex with mainly older men: these men were more likely to engage in receptive anal intercourse (48% vs. 25%, p < .001) than other men. Most men had engaged in insertive (87%) and receptive (85%) anal intercourse in the prior 12 months with 60% and 53% reporting inconsistent condom use with insertive and receptive anal intercourse partners, respectively. The median number of insertive anal intercourse partners was 3 and 1.5 (p < .001) among men reporting inconsistent and consistent condom use with insertive anal intercourse over the prior 12 months. The median number of receptive anal intercourse partners was 3 and 2 (p = .006) among men reporting inconsistent and consistent condom use with receptive anal intercourse over the prior 12 months. Pharyngeal gonorrhea, rectal gonorrhea, urethral chlamydia, rectal chlamydia, and syphilis were detected in 3.0%, 5.5%, 3.0%, 4%, and 2.0% of men, respectively. All men were HIV negative.

Conclusion: Many of the teenage MSM in this study were at risk for STI. Preventative messages and STI screening interventions that are age appropriate need to be developed to reduce HIV and STI risk in this under-recognized group.

Keywords: Gay and bisexual men; Sexual behaviors; Sexually transmitted infections; Teenage men who have sex with men.