Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32460748›Full record

ArticleBMC public health2020

The safe use of dating applications among men who have sex with men: a study protocol for a randomised controlled trial to evaluate an interactive web-based intervention to reduce risky sexual behaviours.

Edmond P H Choi, Eric P F Chow, Eric Y F Wan, William C W Wong, Janet Y H Wong, Daniel Y T Fong

Open access · goldAbstract readClinical Trial Protocol
In one paragraph

Article in BMC public health, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
10citing papers in PubMed
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 16% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

10 citing papers in PubMed, 12 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
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  7. Differences in Sexual Health of Mexican Gay and Bisexual Youth and Adults During the COVID-19 Pandemic.International journal of sexual health : official journal of the World Association for Sexual Health · 2022
    Article
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Edmond P H ChoiSchool of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong. h0714919@connect.hku.hk.
Eric P F ChowMelbourne Sexual Health Centre, Alfred Health, Melbourne, VIC, Australia.
Eric Y F WanDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Care, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
William C W WongDepartment of Family Medicine and Primary Care, University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Janet Y H WongSchool of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
Daniel Y T FongSchool of Nursing, University of Hong Kong, 4/F, William M.W. Mong Block 21 Sassoon Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong.
HKU-Pasteur Research Pole · HKUniversity of Hong Kong · HKAlfred Health · AUQueen Mary Hospital · CN

Funding

Research Grants Council (Early Career Scheme) 27607518
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNotably, both international and local studies have found a high prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and risky sexual behaviours, such as condomless anal sex, substance misuse in conjunction with sex ('chemsex') and group sex, among men who have sex with men (MSM) dating application (app) users. Although the use of dating apps is an emerging sexual risk factor, little effort has been expended on the promotion of safe sex and good sexual health among the users of those apps. Therefore, the aim of the proposed study is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of an interactive web-based intervention in improving the sexual health of MSM dating app users in Hong Kong.

methodsA two-armed randomised controlled trial will be conducted. Chinese MSM dating app users will be recruited and randomly allocated into either the intervention (n = 200) or control group (n = 200). Subjects in the intervention group will receive the web-based intervention containing interactive content that (1) encourages a positive attitude towards consistent condom use and HIV/STI testing and negative attitude towards chemsex and group sex; (2) positions condom use and regular HIV/STI testing as normative; and (3) targets improved perceived self-efficacy concerning condom use and negotiation and HIV/STI testing. The control group will receive only web-based information without sexual health components. Subjects in both groups will be evaluated at baseline and three and 6 months after baseline. The primary outcome will be the frequency of condomless anal sex in the past 3 months. DISCUSSION: The proposed study will aid development of culturally relevant health promotion programmes aimed at minimising the potential harm of dating app use and promoting the sexual health of MSM dating app users. The web-based intervention, if found successful, will have important clinical and policy implications, as it can be adopted by the government and non-governmental organisations targeting MSM. Moreover, the proposed intervention can reach many MSM at relatively low cost, and thus has the potential to check the burgeoning HIV/STI epidemic among MSM in Hong Kong in a cost-effective manner.

trial registrationInternational standard randomized controlled trial number (ISRCTN) registry: ISRCTN16681863 registered on 28 April 2020.

Indexed as

AdultHealth PromotionHIV InfectionsHomosexuality, MaleHong KongHumansInternet-Based InterventionInterpersonal RelationsMaleMiddle AgedRandomized Controlled Trials as TopicSafe SexSexual and Gender MinoritiesSexual BehaviorSexual HealthSexually Transmitted DiseasesDating appsMen who have sex with menRisky sexual behavioursSexual health

Identifiers

PMID32460748
PMCPMC7251668
OpenAlexW3030618879

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

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.