SynthesisBMC public health2018
The use of geosocial networking smartphone applications and the risk of sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men: a systematic review and meta-analysis.
Synthesis in BMC public health, 2018. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 50 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
50 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Dating Apps and Their Sociodemographic and Psychosocial Correlates: A Systematic Review.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Pooled it
- Sex differences in digital dating app use and app-mediated sexual and health outcomes: a systematic review and meta-analysis.Sexual medicine · 2026Review
- Iberian Registry of Ocular Syphilis (IBERSOS) report 1: epidemiology, clinical spectrum and treatment outcomes of ocular syphilis in the Iberian Peninsula.The British journal of ophthalmology · 2026Observational
- Dating Applications as HIV Prevention Ecosystems in the Era of Digital Sexual Networks.Infectious disease reports · 2026Article
- Innovations and Challenges in Syphilis Screening and Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Scoping Review.Sexually transmitted diseases · 2026Article
- Incidence and risk factors ofBMJ open · 2026Article
- The Down Low Among Latino Men Who Have Sex With Men: A Review and Theoretical Analysis.Cureus · 2026Review
- Sexual and Psychosocial Risk Burdens Associated With Online Sex Seeking Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men: Cross-Sectional Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Article
- Spatiotemporal and Behavioral Patterns of Men Who Have Sex With Men Using Geosocial Networking Apps in Shenzhen From Mobile Big Data Perspective: Longitudinal Observational Study.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Observational
- Moving Beyond "Risky Behavior": A Qualitative Interview Study Exploring Geosocial Networking App Use by Sexual Minority Men and Women in the UK and USA.International journal of sexual health : official journal of the World Association for Sexual Health · 2025Article
- Temporary adaptations to sexual behaviour during the mpox outbreak in 23 countries in Europe and the Americas: findings from a retrospective cross-sectional online survey.The Lancet. Infectious diseases · 2024Article
- Role of HIV Serostatus Communication on Frequent HIV Testing and Self-Testing Among Men Who Have Sex With Men Who Seek Sexual Partners on the Internet in Zhejiang, China: Cross-Sectional Study.JMIR formative research · 2024Article
- A snapshot of the presence of HIV-related features in MSM social media dating apps in New Zealand.Scientific reports · 2024Article
- Novel Machine Learning HIV Intervention for Sexual and Gender Minority Young People Who Have Sex With Men (uTECH): Protocol for a Randomized Comparison Trial.JMIR research protocols · 2024Article
- An Online HIV Self-Sampling Strategy for Gay, Bisexual and Other Men Who Have Sex with Men and Trans Women in Spain.Journal of community health · 2024Article
- Sexually transmitted coinfections among at-risk HIV-positive MSM: implications for optimal preemptive treatment.Frontiers in medicine · 2024Article
- Sexual behaviour, STI and HIV testing and testing need among gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men recruited for online surveys pre/post-COVID-19 restrictions in the UK.Sexually transmitted infections · 2023Article
- Article
- Geosocial networking mobile applications use and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Southern China: A cross-sectional study.Frontiers in public health · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundGeosocial networking smartphone applications (apps) are popular tools for seeking sexual partners among men who have sex with men (MSM). We evaluated app use and risk of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in app-using MSM (app-users) by a systematic review and meta-analysis.
methodsA literature search for relevant studies was performed. We extracted date of STIs (ever being diagnosed with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV], syphilis, gonorrhea and chlamydia) and sexual behavior (e.g., number of app-met partners, unprotected anal/oral sex, HIV testing) from the eligible studies. Pooled proportions and odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated.
resultsTwenty-five studies were included. The self-reported prevalence of prior diagnosis of HIV among app-users ranged from 2.2 to 37.7%, and the pooled prevalence of HIV infection was 6% (95% CI, 4-11%). Compared with non-users, app-users were more likely to have gonorrhea (OR = 2.36; 95% CI, 2.07-2.70) and chlamydia (OR = 2.22; 95% CI, 1.92-2.56). The two groups were similar in terms of diagnoses of HIV (OR = 0.89, 95% CI, 0.68-1.16) and syphilis (OR = 1.92; 95% CI, 0.91-4.03). However, when one study that caused substantial heterogeneity was omitted, the pooled OR for app-users to contract syphilis became 3.00 (95% CI, 1.84-4.91) .
conclusionsMSM who seek sexual partners using apps may be more likely to have STIs as than are non-users.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.