Online sexual solicitation and partner seeking in relation to sex risk behavior among adolescents

Background: To the best of our knowledge, no studies utilizing a probability sample of adolescents across sexual orientations have investigated rates of online sex partner solicitation and seeking and associations with risky sex behavior. Methods: We assessed a probability sample of Los Angeles Unified School District public high school students. Supplemental questionnaires were administered concurrently with the CDC's Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS). Results: With a response rate of 88% of students who completed the YRBS, 1,839 high school students 12-18 years old completed the supplemental questionnaire. Logistic regression models assessed associations between demographics, use of social networking websites, and being approached online for sex, seeking sex partners online, having sex with online partners, and using condoms with those partners. Five percent of high school students used the internet to seek sex partners; 17% were approached online for sex. Those who were approached or sought sex partners online were more likely to have sex with internet-met partners (OR: 2.71, p<0.001; OR: 11.44; p<0.001). Compared to their heterosexual peers, non-heterosexual high school students were five times more likely to seek sex partners online (OR: 5.00, p<0.001 ) and were over four times (OR: 4.40, p<0.05) as likely to have unprotected sex at last intercourse with an internet-met sex partner. Conclusions: The internet is another forum for adolescents to meet potential sex partners. However, engaging in unprotected sex with partners puts adolescents at risk for HIV or other sexually transmitted infections. Social networking websites represent prime venues for adolescent-targeted sexual health programs.