Study finds students who use dating apps more likely to sleep around

By Stephen Beach

Students who use dating apps are more likely to sleep around and have unprotected sex, according to new research.

Taking more risks with their sexual health and frequent use of dating apps by college students may form a "vicious cycle", say American researchers.

The World Health Organization (WHO) raised concerns earlier this year over the rise in sexually transmitted illnesses (STIs) in many regions, currently running at more than a million new cases per day.

The United States has one of the highest rates of STIs among high-income countries, and the problem is getting worse.

For example, the incidence of chlamydia has more than doubled since 2000, while gonorrhea increased by 40% and syphilis by 400%.

Figures show that the highest prevalence is among young adults aged between 20 and 34.

Over the same period, technology made it easier than ever to find partners for sex, with more than half of Americans under 30 reporting using dating apps.

Dating apps have existed for over 20 years but became mainstream around 2010.

The new study, published in the journal Frontiers in Reproductive Health, shows that the two modern phenomena may be linked.

Study corresponding author Dr. Jaquetta Reeves said: “We show the use of dating apps among college students is linked to an increase in unprotected sexual behaviors and a higher number of sexual partners, raising the risk of STI and HIV transmission."

Dr. Reeves and her colleagues used an anonymous online questionnaire to interview 122 college students, aged between 19 and 35, of both genders in Texas.

Participants were first asked if they had ever used a dating app. They were then invited to give information about their sexual behavior: for example, their number of partners, use of university campus clinics, history of STIs, and intercourse without condoms.

Through three open questions, the participants were asked about any sexual partners they had met through dating apps, whether in a committed relationship, as ‘friends-with-benefits’, or hook-ups.

The use of dating apps was more common among white (47%) than black students (12%); more common among men (64%) than women (33%); and more common among people who identified as heterosexual (86%) than among those who identified as gay or lesbian (14%).

Analysis of the data revealed "significant" differences in sexual behavior between participants who used dating apps and those who had never done so.

For example, those who reported having more than one sexual partner over the past year were 2.2 times more likely to use dating apps than those with only one partner.

Students who reported having sex in combination with alcohol were 1.4 times more likely to use dating apps.

Participants who reported having their first sexual encounter aged between 16 and 19 were 1.5 times more likely to use apps than those who reported their first sexual encounter at 20 or older.

Students who had ever undergone HIV/STI screening at their campus clinic were 1.8 times more likely to use apps than those who had never been screened, while those who had ever tested positive for HIV/STI were 1.3 times more likely to use apps.

The researchers didn’t find any differences in the frequency of condom use during oral and vaginal sex between those who used dating apps and those who did not.

The team concluded that there was a "significant positive association" between the use of dating apps and engagement in risky sexual behavior among the students.

Dr. Reeves, an Assistant Professor at the College of Nursing and Health Innovation of the University of Texas at Arlington, said: “Causality between risky sexual behaviors and dating app use likely flows both ways.

"Dating apps make it easier to find casual partners, which can lead to risky behaviors like inconsistent condom use.

"Conversely, individuals already engaging in risky behaviors may turn to dating apps for partners who share similar practices."

She added: “To break this vicious cycle, sexual health interventions should focus on integrating sexual health education into apps, promoting safer sex norms through youth campaigns, improving access to STI/HIV testing, reducing stigma around sexual health discussions, and using technology for testing reminders and exposure notifications."