Session: Sexual Health of Young Gay and Bisexual Men: The Role of Geosocial Networking Apps (Society for Social Work and Research 21st Annual Conference - Ensure Healthy Development for all Youth)

Smartphone-based geosocial networking (GSN) apps and other internet-based tools have altered the sociocultural context for young gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) as they come out, make social connections and develop a level of literacy about their health and wellbeing. While many young people are coming out at younger ages and are more frequently reporting positive reactions and acceptance of their sexual minority identities, homophobic attitudes in schools remain prevalent. However, declines in homophobic attitudes have been shown to improve the lives of adolescent men. Recent research among young Canadian gay and bisexual men found that two-thirds reported one form of anti-gay experience, and that those who reported more than one form of anti-gay experience had an increased likelihood for unprotected anal intercourse. Younger MSM have been documented as one of the only groups with increasing HIV incidence in North America and Europe.

The ways in which homophobia and heteronormativity affect the health and wellness of YMSM is a nascent area of research, particularly as it relates to the use of online tools and GSN apps for sexual, social, and educational reasons. In order to better address the overall health of YMSM, it is important to develop an enhanced understanding of how new generations of YMSM perceive risks for HIV transmission and other health outcomes and how this may be influenced by their social and/or sexual networks, particularly those developed and maintained through GSN apps. Furthermore, new biomedical HIV prevention strategies, such as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), represent important tools for reducing new HIV infections among YMSM; however, little is known about their acceptability and uptake among YMSM who use GSN apps.

Research documenting the experiences of young gay men in the 21^st century is warranted as these individuals comprise the largest group of technology users and are, arguably, the most impacted by technology. A recent study of YMSM in California found that only 30% reported using a GSN app primarily to hook-up and that 70% of YMSM expressed a willingness to participate in app-based HIV prevention.

YMSM use online tools and GSN apps to connect with other gay men, to build community, and to look for current and accurate health information. This symposium will present the results from three recent innovative studies across North America that focus on examining the health and wellness of young gay men using GSN apps. The three abstracts presented as part of this symposia will focus on addressing: 1) how YMSM, compared to older MSM, use GSN apps to develop social connections, seen as beneficial to overall health and wellness; 2) how YMSM compare to older MSM in relation the types of health information they seek and the tools (sites, apps) they use to find them, and 3) how young gay men understand and address issues related to recent advances in biomedical HIV prevention such as Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP).