Gay, Bisexual Men Have Reduced Sex Partners, Hookups To Avoid Monkeypox: Report
Image: Photo by christian buehner on Unsplash
Gay and bisexual men have cut down on their sexual activity – including, one night stands, dating app hookups and group sex – by around half, in response to the monkeypox outbreak, a survey conducted in the US found.
The survey of gay and bisexual American men was conducted between August 5 and 15, 2022, by Kevin Delaney and fellow researchers of Monkeypox Emergency Response Team at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Of the 2,999 persons in the American Men’s Internet Survey who were invited to participate in the monkeypox survey, around 824 completed the questionnaire.
Around 47.8% of the participants in the survey, revealed that they had reduced the number of sex partners because of the monkeypox outbreak. Just around half of the participants or around 49.8% said they had reduced one-time sexual encounters, 49.6 % said they had reduced sex with partners they met on gay dating apps, 50. 4 % said they had reduced their participation in group sex and 41.9 % said they had reduced their attendance at sex venues or social events with close contact.
Gay Men Acting To Reduce Transmission
“These findings among a convenience sample of men who reported male sexual contact provide early information about the actions that MSM (men who have sex with men) are taking to reduce their risk for acquiring and transmitting Monkeypox virus,” the researchers said. “These data highlight the importance of health communication in the context of strong community leadership in response to the U.S. monkeypox outbreak.”
The current multi-country outbreak of monkeypox, outside of West and Central Africa, where the disease is endemic, was first reported in May 2022. As of September 2, 2022, around 52,516 cases of monkeypox have been reported in 93 countries, which have not historically not reported the disease before the current outbreak.
As of September 1, 2022, Australia has reported around 124 cases of monkeypox, including 64 in Victoria, 48 in New South Wales, 5 in Western Australia, 3 in Queensland, 2 in the Australian Capital Territory, and 2 in South Australia.
Monkeypox Is Not A ‘Gay Disease’
Though health authorities have reiterated that monkeypox is not a “gay disease” or a sexually transmitted infection, the current outbreak, including in Australia, has been predominantly among gay, bisexual and men who have sex with men.
In response to the rising number of cases of local transmission of monkeypox, the Department of Health in Victoria had recommended limiting the number of sex partners.
“Monkeypox may be spread from person-to-person through skin-to-skin contact, contact with contaminated surfaces or items, and respiratory droplets,” the health department said.
