Partner number and use of COVID-19 risk reduction strategies during initial phases of the pandemic in British Columbia, Canada: a survey of sexual health service clients

Abstract

Objectives Initial public health guidance related to sex and COVID-19 infection focused on reducing partner number. We characterized individuals having a higher partner number during the initial phases of the pandemic. Methods In British Columbia, the initial wave of COVID-19 cases was from March 14 to May 19, 2020, followed by gradual lifting of public health restrictions. We conducted an e-mail survey of existing sexual health service clients during the period of July 23 to August 4, 2020. We used bivariate logistic regression to examine the association between the reported number of sexual partners since the start of the pandemic and key variables (level of significance p < 0.01). Results Of the 1196 clients in our final sample, 42% reported 2+ partners since the start of the pandemic, with higher odds among participants who were men who have sex with men, and single or in open relationships prior to the pandemic. This group was more likely to perceive stigma associated with having sex during the pandemic, and had the highest use of strategies to reduce risk of COVID-19 infection during sexual encounters (mainly focused on reducing/avoiding partners, such as masturbation, limiting sex to a “bubble”, and not having sex). Conclusion Sexual health service clients in BC with 2+ partners during the initial phases of BC’s pandemic used strategies to reduce their risk of COVID-19 infection during sex. Our study provides support for a harm reduction approach to guidance on COVID-19 risk during sex, and highlights the need for further research on stigma related to having sex during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Masturbation Prevalence, Frequency, Reasons, and Associations with Partnered Sex in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Findings from a U.S. Nationally Representative Survey

“…Masturbation and the COVID-19 pandemic may be related in other ways, other than just risk avoidance; for example, some people (due to working from home and staying at home more often) may have masturbated less often due either to lack of privacy or because they had more opportunities for partnered sex (at least if they had a household partner). Our finding that more young adult men, compared with older men, selected COVID-19 risk reduction as a reason for masturbating aligns with a recent convenience survey of Canadian college students, showing that more than half of students had used masturbation as a risk reduction strategy during the early months of the pandemic (Gilbert et al, 2021 ). A U.S. national study also found small but significant self-reported increases in masturbation among men during the COVID-19 pandemic (Gleason et al, 2021 ) whereas a U.S. nationally representative survey conducted during the initial April 2020 lockdown found that conflict between romantic/sexual behaviors was associated with decreases in several sexual behaviors, including masturbation (Luetke et al, 2020 ).…”

Health Provider and Sexual and Gender Minority Service User Perspectives on Provision of Mental Health Services During the Early Phase of the COVID-19 Pandemic in British Columbia, Canada

“…In the fall of 2020, our team also interviewed a purposive sample of service users who were respondents to the “Sex in the time of COVID-19” survey (Gilbert et al, 2021), and indicated interest in being involved in our study. To be eligible to complete that survey participants had to meet the following criteria: 1) existing clients of BC Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) sexually transmitted infection (STI) clinics or Get Checked Online, 2) be at least 16 years old, 3) have either visited the BCCDC STI clinic or been tested in the previous year (March 15, 2019 – March 17, 2020).…”

Characteristics of the sexual networks of gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver: implications for the transmission and control of mpox in Canada

“…For instance, the lifting of travel restrictions and other public health measures may have increased the number and types of sexual partnerships formed and facilitated international dissemination of the virus. 12,16,19,20…”

“…For instance, the lifting of travel restrictions and other public health measures may have increased the number and types of sexual partnerships formed and facilitated international dissemination of the virus. 12,16,19,20 Given these uncertainties, we leveraged data from the Engage Cohort Study and public mpox incidence data to improve our understanding of the relationship between sexual network density and mpox transmission during 2022-2023 in Montréal, Toronto, and Vancouver. Specifically, we estimated the distribution of sexual partner numbers among GBM in each city, and investigated how these distributions changed over time to assess the influence of COVID-19 pandemic on sexual behaviours.…”