Viewing Pornography Depicting Unprotected Anal Intercourse: Are There Implications for HIV Prevention Among Men Who Have Sex with Men?

• Published in: Archives of sexual behavior Vol. 41; no. 2; pp. 411 - 419
• Main Authors: Stein, Dylan, Silvera, Richard, Hagerty, Robert, Marmor, Michael
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Boston Springer US 01.04.2012; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Behavioral Science and Psychology; Causality; Erotica - psychology; Gays & lesbians; HIV; HIV Infections - prevention & control; HIV Infections - psychology; HIV Infections - transmission; Homosexuality; Homosexuality, Male - psychology; Homosexuality, Male - statistics & numerical data; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Internet; Male; Men; Middle Aged; Original Paper; Pornography; Pornography & obscenity; Prevention; Psychology; Public Health; Risk Factors; Risk-Taking; Sexual Behavior; Sexual Behavior - psychology; Sexual Behavior - statistics & numerical data; Sexual Intercourse; Social Sciences; Surveys and Questionnaires; Unsafe Sex - psychology; Unsafe Sex - statistics & numerical data; Men who have sex with men (MSM); Pornography; HIV; Unprotected anal intercourse (UAI); Health Behavior
• ISSN: 0004-0002; 1573-2800; 1573-2800
• DOI: 10.1007/s10508-011-9789-2

We used an Internet-based questionnaire to investigate whether viewing pornography depicting unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) was associated with engaging in UAI in a sample of 821 non-monogamous men who have sex with men (MSM). In the 3 months prior to interview, 77.2% viewed pornography depicting UAI, 42.6% engaged in insertive UAI, and 38.9% engaged in receptive UAI. Polytomous logistic regression of the 751 subjects who provided data on pornography viewing showed significantly elevated odds ratios for having engaged in receptive UAI, insertive UAI, and both receptive and insertive UAI associated with increasing percentage of pornography viewed that depicted UAI. We also found independently significant associations of engaging in UAI with age, use of inhalant nitrites, and HIV status. Although the data cannot establish causality, our findings indicate that viewing pornography depicting UAI and engaging in UAI are correlated. Further research is needed to determine if this observation may have utility for HIV prevention.