Similarly, Grindr also shares ads that educate users on issues of sexual health.īut accessing PrEP is partly about it being normalized in one's sexual networks. Of the various dating and hook-up apps that are used by gay and bisexual men, Grindr was an early adopter of a field where people can select "HIV negative, On PrEP" or "HIV positive, Undetectable," which may have helped educate other users on what these terms and prevention strategies mean. These apps are reducing stigma about people simply taking control of their sex lives." "And using PrEP to avert HIV acquisition is more normalized for folks on Grindr. "From this data, it seems that people on Grindr are exposed to more sex-positive and HIV status–neutral information, more than the general public," said Ace Robinson, director of strategic partnerships at NMAC. But some advocates think that Grindr may be helping to set the tone for more open dialog about PrEP and sexual health. In some circles, use of PrEP is still frowned upon by some gay men, and jokes are often made about men on PrEP having other STIs like chlamydia or gonorrhea. PrEP, despite how effective it is, is similar. The apps also carry a certain kind of stigma - gay men often judge one's promiscuity or character by whether or not you're using the apps.
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The debates about whether or not hook-up apps like Grindr are helping fuel HIV and other STIs among gay and bisexual men won't likely end soon.
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"Clearly, Grindr provides a real opportunity for infectious diseases specialists and other health care providers to reach those at risk and help them understand the benefits of PrEP." "There are a number of possible explanations for this, including that PrEP was simply not offered, or they didn't feel that they were at high risk," said Hoenigl. Also Grindr men not currently using PrEP were almost twice as likely as men not on Grindr to agree to begin PrEP, even though more than 81% of men on Grindr were not using PrEP. Researchers said the higher PrEP use among Grindr users resulted in fewer HIV diagnoses among Grindr users (9) than men not on the app (26). Grindr users were more likely to take PrEP (18.7%) compared to men who didn't use Grindr (8.7%). When it came to actual STI or HIV risk, researchers found men on Grindr were more likely to test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea (8.6% vs.
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Researchers also found that the men who used Grindr had engaged in higher-risk sex acts, including a higher number of male partners and more instances of condomless sex in the past year.
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The men filled out questionnaires researchers found that 1,087 men (86.5%) were not currently using PrEP, and 580 (46%) men had used Grindr in the past seven days. The researchers surveyed 1,256 men who have sex with men. "Additionally, HIV and STI testing programs could assess Grindr use to prioritize who should be tested and who would be good candidates for PrEP." "Grindr could be a great platform to promote PrEP, as well as testing for HIV and STIs, given the higher-risk behavior and greater acceptance of the prevention medication," said Martin Hoenigl, M.D., lead author of the study and assistant professor at the University of California at San Diego.