{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,6,23]],"date-time":"2026-06-23T12:53:19Z","timestamp":1782219199982,"version":"3.54.5"},"reference-count":31,"publisher":"Springer Science and Business Media LLC","issue":"1","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]],"date-time":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1691625600000},"content-version":"tdm","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"},{"start":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]],"date-time":"2023-08-10T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1691625600000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0"}],"funder":[{"name":"Non-profit Central Research Institute Fund of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences","award":["2021-ZHCH330-001"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["2021-ZHCH330-001"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":["link.springer.com"],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["BMC Infect Dis"],"abstract":"<jats:title>Abstract<\/jats:title><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Introduction<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>The COVID-19 epidemic control and prevention strategies affected people\u2019s sexual activities and behaviors. Little was known about long-term effects of COVID-19 prevention and control strategies on sexual behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM). This study aimed to examine changes in risky sexual behaviors of MSM before and after the local epidemic.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Methods<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>An online survey was conducted nationwide from June 1 to June 10, 2022. MSM aged 16 years and above, residing in China were recruited through convenience sampling. A generalized estimating equation model with modified Poisson regression was used to analyze changes in multiple sexual partners, unprotected sex, mobility for sexual activity, and recreational substance use before and after the local epidemic.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Results<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Compared to the pre-pandemic (36.5%), the prevalence of multiple sexual partners (11.5%) significantly decreased during the local epidemic and then increased after the local epidemic (25.2%) but remained lower than pre-pandemic, as did the prevalence of unprotected sex (31.1%, 19.4%, and 26.1%), mobility for sexual activity (7.5%, 2.8%, and 4.1%) and recreational substance use (47.7%, 27.2%, and 39.5%). Compared to the pre-pandemic, higher declines in the prevalence of risky sexual behaviors during the local epidemic existed among MSM living without a regular partner (44% decrease in unprotected sex and 46% in recreational substance use), with a bachelor\u2019s degree and above (70% decrease in multiple sex partners, 39% in unprotected sex, 67% in mobility for sexual activity and 44% in recreational substance use), higher incomes (70% decrease in multiple sex partners), self-identified gay or bisexual\/unsure (38-71%), and HIV infection (49-83% decrease respectively in these four indicators). After the local epidemic, the declines in the above indicators compared to the pre-pandemic were correspondingly. And higher declines existed among MSM living without a regular partner (8% decrease in unprotected sex and 13% in recreational substance use), with a bachelor\u2019s degree and above (33% decrease in multiple sex partners), higher incomes (55% decrease in mobility for sexual activity), self-identified gay (51% decrease in mobility for sexual activity), and HIV infection (32%, 68%, 24% decrease respectively in unprotected sex, mobility for sexual activity and recreational substance use).<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec><jats:sec>\n                <jats:title>Conclusions<\/jats:title>\n                <jats:p>Risky sexual behaviors reduced considerably during the local epidemic, then seemed rebounded after the outbreak but wouldn\u2019t return to pre-pandemic levels. More attention should be paid to vulnerable people with lower socio-economic status, HIV-positive, and sexual minorities for sustained HIV and COVID-19 prevention.<\/jats:p>\n              <\/jats:sec>","DOI":"10.1186\/s12879-023-08488-2","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]],"date-time":"2023-08-10T15:02:58Z","timestamp":1691679778000},"update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.1007\/springer_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":14,"title":["Change of sexual behavior among men who have sex with men before, during and after COVID-19 pandemic in China: a cross-sectional study"],"prefix":"10.1186","volume":"23","author":[{"given":"Shi","family":"Wang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Jie","family":"Yang","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Dandan","family":"Niu","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Yushan","family":"Hou","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Liping","family":"Fei","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Hehe","family":"Zhao","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fangfang","family":"Chen","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]},{"given":"Fan","family":"Lv","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[],"role":[{"vocabulary":"crossref","role":"author"}]}],"member":"297","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2023,8,10]]},"reference":[{"key":"8488_CR1","unstructured":"WHO Coronavirus (COVID-19.) 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All experimental protocols were approved by the Ethics Committee of the Center for STD and AIDS Prevention and Control of the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. All methods were carried out in accordance with relevant guidelines and regulations. After providing a clear explanation of their rights and duties to all subjects, informed consent was obtained from all study participants prior to the start of the study.","order":3,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Ethics approval and consent to participate"}},{"value":"Not applicable.","order":4,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Consent for publication"}},{"value":"National Center for AIDS\/STD Control and Prevention, Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Beijing, China.Shi Wang, Dandan Niu, Yushan Hou, Liping Fei, Hehe Zhao, Fangfang Chen, Fan Lv.Shenlan Public Health Counsel Service Center, Tianjin, China.Jie Yang.","order":5,"name":"Ethics","group":{"name":"EthicsHeading","label":"Authors\u2019 information"}}],"article-number":"527"}}