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Published on: July 3, 2021
Jack'd dating application motivations, experiences, and sexual risk behaviors: a qualitative pilot study
Sabrina Lynn Smiley1, Sherry C Wang2, Elexis C Kierstead3,4
1University of Southern California, Los Angeles, 90089-0001 United States.
Introduction:
Little is known about geosocial networking dating application use among young Black gay and bisexual men (YBGBM), a group severely affected by HIV in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to explore: (1) How YBGBM describe motivations to use Jack'd; (2) How YBGBM describe and experience meeting romantic-sexual partners on Jack'd, including partner preferences and offline sexual encounters; and (3) How these descriptions and experiences reflect sexual risk behaviors?
Methods:
Between April and July 2015, we conducted 23 face-to-face semistructured interviews with self-identified Black gay (n=15) and bisexual (n=8) men aged 21-25 years (M=23.48, SD=1.5) in Washington, DC. All interviews were audio-recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using thematic analysis methodology.
Results:
Motivations to use Jack'd included in-person discomfort and challenges meeting men in spaces that could lead to homophobic physical violence. Nearly half articulated distrust with a Jack'd-met partner HIV status disclosure. Some participants reported inconsistent condom use when the insertive partner in anal sex, and several perceived Jack'd-met partners their own age to be less concerned about HIV than older men.
Conclusion:
HIV prevention strategies directed towards YBGBM should consider the role that dating applications may play in either exacerbating or attenuating sexual risk.
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