[Analysis on the relationship between condom social norms and unprotected anal intercourse among men who have sex with men in Beijing].

OBJECTIVE

To understand the prevalence of and factors associated with unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Beijing.

METHODS

Five hundred MSM were recruited for a survey using Respondent Driven Sampling (RDS) method, from September to October in 2009. A computer-assisted, interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to gather information including demographics, sexual behaviors and condom use social norms (a scaled number). Variables were evaluated by using RDSAT and SAS software.

RESULTS

Mean age of the participants was 30.6 years, with 96.0% of them as Han ethnicity and 68.5% having had at least high school or higher education level. 72.8% of them were unmarried, with 61.7% of them identified themselves as homosexual, 61.2% had > 1 male partners in the past six months, and the prevalence of UAI was 42.0%. Significant bivariate predictors of UAI would include condom use social norms score, role for anal sex with male sex partner, number of male sexual partners in the past 6 months and amount of alcohol consumed. In multivariable analysis, UAI was associated with a higher condom use social norms score (AOR = 1.2, 95%CI: 1.1 - 1.3), receptive anal intercourse (AOR = 2.0, 95%CI: 1.3 - 3.2) and drinking alcohol more than 3 times per month in the past 12 months (AOR = 1.6, 95%CI: 1.1 - 2.5).

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of UAI was high in the MSM community in Beijing, suggesting that efforts should be targeting on how to make the condom use a social norm and being promoted.