Changes in Exchange Sex During the COVID-19 Pandemic Among Men Who Have Sex with Men in the United States Restricted; Files Only

Macaulay, Meghan (Spring 2022)

Permanent URL: https://etd.library.emory.edu/concern/etds/7w62f9418?locale=en
Published

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to impact vulnerable populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM) and those who engage in exchange sex. This study sought to understand those impacts by examining whether the prevalence of exchanging in sex in the past 12 months changed between 2019 (pre-COVID-19 pandemic) and 2020 (during the COVID-19 pandemic), which variables were associated with exchange sex in this population in 2019 and 2020, and whether those associations changed between 2019 and 2020. Data from 23,006 participants were taken from the 2019 and 2020 cycles of a yearly cross-sectional survey of MSM residing in the United States. Prevalence was reported and adjusted odds ratios (OR) were found using unconditional logistic regression analysis. An interaction assessment showed no significant interaction between year and covariates. Overall prevalence of exchange sex increased from 4.01% in 2019 to 4.30% in 2020. After adjusting for covariates, the likelihood of engaging in exchange sex decreased from 2019 to 2020 and was not significant (0.98 [0.84, 1.15]). Homelessness was significantly associated with exchange sex in 2020 (2.13 [1.48, 3.07]) but not in 2019 (1.47 [0.93, 2.32]). Education, housing insecurity, household income, injection drug use, age group, and number of drinks consumed on a typical day when drinking alcohol were all significantly associated with exchange sex in both 2019 and 2020. Although this study did not find significant changes in factors associated with exchange sex in this population from 2019 to 2020, it did confirm existing associations which exhibit the intersectional socioeconomic challenges faced by MSM engaging in exchange sex in the US and highlighted challenges they may face during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents

Introduction

Methods

Data Source and Study Population

Measures

Analyses

Results

Discussion

Tables and Figures

Table 1. Characteristics of US MSM participants and prevalence of receiving goods or money for sex in the past 12 months prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, American Men’s Internet Survey, 2019-2020

Table 2. Associations between exchange sex and demographic and socioeconomic factors in US MSM, American Men’s Internet Survey, 2019-2020

Figure 1. Prevalence of exchange sex in US MSM prior to and during the COVID-19 pandemic, American Men’s Internet Survey, 2019-2020

References

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