Characterizing the Impact of COVID-19 on Men Who Have Sex with Men Across the United States in April, 2020

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic is reinforcing health inequities among vulnerable populations, including men who have sex with men (MSM). We conducted a rapid online survey (April 2 to April 13, 2020) of COVID-19 related impacts on the sexual health of 1051 US MSM. Many participants had adverse impacts to general wellbeing, social interactions, money, food, drug use and alcohol consumption. Half had fewer sex partners and most had no change in condom access or use. Some reported challenges in accessing HIV testing, prevention and treatment services. Compared to older MSM, those 15-24 years were more likely to report economic and service impacts. While additional studies of COVID-19 epidemiology among MSM are needed, there is already evidence of emerging interruptions to HIV-related services. Scalable remote solutions such as telehealth and mailed testing and prevention supplies may be urgently needed to avert increased HIV incidence among MSM during the COVID-19 pandemic era.

Economic, Mental Health, HIV Prevention and HIV Treatment Impacts of COVID-19 and the COVID-19 response on a Global Sample of Cisgender Gay Men and Other Men who have sex with Men

“…Additionally, it is incorrect to assume a diminished sexual risk for HIV, among gay men and other MSM, especially for men in sero-different domestic partnerships or men who are employed as sex workers (31,40). New data from the U.S. has not only reinforced this point but also underscored the ongoing need for uninterrupted access to HIV prevention tools gay men and other MSM may need (13). Otherwise, consequences of the reductions in HIV prevention tools can potentially be catastrophic in the HIV prevention response, particularly if they are not reversed (43,44).…”

“INSIDE” Project on Sexual Health in Spain: The Impact of the Lockdown Caused by COVID-19

“…Regarding sexual frequency with respect to the period before con nement, a decrease exists as in the study by Lehmiller et al (2020) but also an increase as in the study by Yuksel & Ozgor (2020), thus the results are inconclusive. Other studies, in line with Lehmiller et al (2020) or Sanchez et al (2020), indicate that the sexual repertoire has expanded with new activities such as sexting or viewing pornography, the use of recreational drugs and alcohol consumption. In addition, the use of dating apps would have decreased or the motivation to use them would have changed.…”

“…Speci cally, only two studies with large samples of general population have been only found, one focused on United States, Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia (Lehmiller, Garcia, Gesselman, & Mark, 2020), and another on Great Britain (Jacob et al, 2020 ). A third one also included an important number of participants from the United States although this was restricted to men who have sex with men (MSM) (Sanchez, Zlotorzynska, Rai, & Baral, 2020). The remaining of the published studies have only evaluated between 58 and 459 participants belonging to the general population from Bangladesh, India and Nepal (Arafat, Mohamed, Kar, Sharma, & Kabir, 2020), Japan (Taniguchi, Hisasue, & Sato, 2020) and a very small group of women from Italy (Schiavi et al, 2020) and Turkey (Yuksel & Ozgor, 2020).…”

Low Psychological Well-Being in Men Who Have Sex With Men (Msm) During the Shelter-in-Place Orders to Prevent the Covid-19 Spread: Results From a Nationwide Study

“…Thus far, little has been published regarding the real impact of the need to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its duration on the sexual practices and loving relationships of populations (Sanchez, Zlotorzynska, Rai, & Baral, 2020), especially among LGBT populations. Few studies address the pandemic from the perspective of the quality or lack of social interactions and the role it plays in the psychological well-being of individuals by intensifying unfavorable triggers.…”