Association between the use of dating apps and sexually transmitted infections among college students: a literature review

Abstract

Introduction: Although dating applications (apps) have become increasingly popular, there is a scarcity of information regarding the sexual behavior implications among young adults. Objective: This study aims to investigate the association between the use of dating apps and sexually transmitted infections (STI) among college students. Methods: A literature review was conducted to examine the influence of dating apps usage by college students on risky sexual behavior. The search for suitable studies was carried out on March 2021 with the research database PubMed using the following keywords: sexually transmitted infections, dating applications, sexual behavior, and college students. Studies published during the past 5 years were included. Results: Five articles met the inclusion criteria. The use of dating apps was associated with more sexual partners and the frequency of having multiple sexual partners was higher for men. Besides, men who used dating apps had a lower protective attitude than those who did not use dating apps. In contrast, female dating app users had a higher protective attitude. Most women requested the use of a condom. Moreover, there is an association between being a user of dating apps and having unprotected sexual intercourse with more lifetime sexual partners and having a casual sex partner without using a condom in their sexual intercourse experience. They were less likely to have condom use consistently and more likely not to have used condoms the last time they had sexual intercourse. Not having a condom or trust/repeated encounters and not realizing the necessity of using condoms in sexual intercourse were some of the reasons for unsafe sex. Conclusion: The use of dating apps seems to be associated with a high number of sexual partners and unprotected sexual intercourse, which can be associated with higher susceptibility to STI. University education about risky behaviors and STI is imperative.