Steven Nero (2021)

Research Report: Steven Nero (2021)

About me

Hey there, my name is Steven Nero; I am a twenty-four-year-old gay male living just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba. I am a university student with a Bachelor of Arts degree with a major in psychology and a minor in sociology from the University of Winnipeg. I am currently studying for my Bachelor of Social Work degree at the University of Manitoba, graduating in 2021. After my Bachelor of Social Work degree, I plan on completing my Master of Social Work degree, specializing in clinical social work. Outside of my studies, I love to travel, hang out with my family and friends, walk my dog, watch real crime shows, and do word searches. Two significant passions in my life are travel and Ukrainian dance. My favourite place that I have travelled to is Athens, Greece and six Ionian Greek islands. Since the age of six, I have been Ukrainian dancing; I also teach Ukrainian dance to youth as a part-time job. 

Research Questions 

1.     How does an individual’s relationship status effect when they were last tested for HIV and other STIs? 

2.     How does the relationship status of an individual affect their sexual behaviours and harm reduction practices?

Why did I choose these questions? 

In the survey, participants were asked what their current relationship status was and asked to choose from the list provided, which included single, dating, married or partnered, or separated/divorced or widowed (note: I mainly analyzed data for single, dating, and married/partnered men as there were too few responses for separated/divorced/widowed men to draw conclusions). Using their responses, I compared across several other questions from the survey, including a question asking whether they had ever been tested for HIV, whether they had ever been tested for STIs, how frequently they were tested for HIV, how frequently they were tested for STIs, and a series of questions about their sexual practices/behaviours and what their harm reduction or HIV prevention strategies they used.

Results

Question 1

The results for question one include the following. First, when analyzing the data, it was found that there is no significant difference between a person’s relationship status and when they were last tested for HIV. However, there is a significant difference between a person’s relationship status and when they were last tested for various STIs. More frequent testing was reported between single and married/partnered or in dating relationships in the three-month STI testing range (with 42.9% for single men and 25.5% for married/partnered men, and 23.5% for those who were dating). 

Question 2 

a.     “Please tell us if you bottomed (got fucked) without using a condom in the last 6 months with a male partner whose HIV status you did not know.”

When analyzing the data for this question, it was found that significantly more men with a relationship status of single and married or partnered bottomed without using a condom in the last six months with a male partner whose HIV status they did not know (single 53.2%, married/partnered 38.3%). Additionally, it was also found that significantly fewer men with the relationship status of dating bottomed without using a condom in the last six months with a male partner whose HIV status they did not know (4.3%) 

b.     “Please tell us if you bottomed (got fucked) without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load you did not know.”

When analyzing the data for this question, it was found that significantly more men with a relationship status of single and married or partnered bottomed without using a condom in the last six months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load they did not know. Additionally, it was also found that significantly fewer men with the relationship status of dating bottomed without using a condom in the last six months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load they did not know.

c.     “Please tell us if you bottomed (got fucked) without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner who told you their viral load was detectable.”

There was no statistically significant difference in this question. 

d.     “Please tell us if you topped (fucked someone) without using a condom in the last 6 months with a male partner whose HIV status you did not know.”

There was no statistically significant difference in this question. 

e.     “Please tell us if you topped (fucked someone) without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load you did not know.”

When analyzing the data, it was found that significantly more men with the relationship status of married or partnered topped someone without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load they did not know. Additionally, it was also found that significantly fewer men with the relationship status of dating and single topped someone without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load they did not know.

f.      “Please tell us if you topped (fucked someone) without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner who told you their viral load was detectable.”

There was no statistically significant difference in this question. 

g.     “What sexual harm reduction or HIV risk prevention strategies did you use in the past 6 months? Looking at condom use.” 

When analyzing the data, it was found that slightly fewer men in the single and married or partnered categories used condoms as an HIV risk prevention strategy. Additionally, it was also found that more men in the dating category used condoms as an HIV risk prevention strategy. 

h.      “What sexual harm reduction or HIV risk prevention strategies did you use in the past 6 months? Looking at engaging in sex other than anal sex.”

There was no statistical difference in this question. 

i.      “What sexual harm reduction or HIV risk prevention strategies did you use in the past 6 months? Took PrEP (Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis) before sex to prevent HIV transmission.”

When analyzing the data, it was found that fewer men in the single and dating category used PrEP as an HIV risk prevention strategy. Additionally, more married or partnered men used PrEP as an HIV risk prevention strategy.

j.      “What sexual harm reduction or HIV risk prevention strategies did you use in the past 6 months? Having sex with one partner only (monogamous, closed relationship).”

When analyzing the data, it was found that fewer men in the single category utilized this HIV risk prevention strategy. Additionally, it was also found that slightly more men in the married or partnered and more in the dating categories used this HIV prevention strategy.  

Discussion

• Question one: I find the results for question one to be interesting for two reasons. The first reason is that I find it thought-provoking that the participants consider HIV and STI testing to be a separate entity. The second notion that I find interesting is that 42.9% of single men are getting tested in the three-month STI testing range. I wonder why that percentage is high, what type of sex these single men are having, and what type of harm reduction practices are being used if any? 

• Question two a: The results for this question surprised me. I did not think that 53.2% of single men and 38.3% of married/partnered men bottomed without using a condom in the last 6 months with a male partner whose HIV status you did not know. I wonder if these men are not using condoms as a harm reduction method, what are they using to prevent STIs? 

• Question two b: The results for this question surprised me because, as the results state,  significantly more men with single, married or partnered relationship status bottomed without using a condom in the last six months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load they did not know. Again, I wonder what harm reduction methods are used if condoms are not being used? 

• Question two e: Reading the results of this question, I am curious to know the difference in partnership style between married or partnered and dating men? I wonder if married or partnered men are more of an open relationship style because significantly more men with the relationship status of married or partnered topped someone without using a condom in the last 6 months with an HIV-positive male partner whose viral load they did not know.  
  Question 2 g: As stated by the results, slightly fewer men in the single and married or partnered categories used condoms as an HIV risk prevention strategy. I wonder what HIV risk prevention is being used? 

• Question 2 i and j: I wonder if the difference in taking PrEP in single and married or partnered relationships was due to cost?Don’t worry about sounding professional. Sound like you. There are over 1.5 billion websites out there, but your story is what’s going to separate this one from the rest. If you read the words back and don’t hear your own voice in your head, that’s a good sign you still have more work to do.

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