We believe that openness of data is essential to science. SESH has conducted several online surveys of men who have sex with men in China over the past few years. We have made the de-personalised data available on this page for use. The data shared here has been reviewed by the Guangdong Dermatological and Venereal Disease Control Centre and the University of North Carolina Ethics Review Board. If you wish to use this data, please mail to sesh@seshglobal.org.
Year of recruitment: 2013
Sample size: 1342
Description: This survey was recruited through two large MSM websites in southern China. Participants took part in our Men's Health Survey through a month-long advertisement on the websites. The survey was voluntary and anonymous.
Sample criteria: biological male; 16 years of age or older; history of male-to-male anal sex.
Detailed information: Han L, Candidate B, Bien CH, et al. HIV self-testing among online MSM in China: implications for expanding HIV testing among key populations. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes 2014;67(2):216-221.
Sample size: 1342
Description: This survey was recruited through two large MSM websites in southern China. Participants took part in our Men's Health Survey through a month-long advertisement on the websites. The survey was voluntary and anonymous.
Sample criteria: biological male; 16 years of age or older; history of male-to-male anal sex.
Detailed information: Han L, Candidate B, Bien CH, et al. HIV self-testing among online MSM in China: implications for expanding HIV testing among key populations. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes 2014;67(2):216-221.
→ Published papers
1.Han L, Candidate B, Bien CH, et al. HIV self-testing among online MSM in China: implications for expanding HIV testing among key populations. Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes 2014;67(2): 216-221.
2. Wei C, Muessig KE, Bien C, et al. Strategies for promoting HIV testing uptake: willingness to receive couple-based and collective HIV testing among a cross-sectional online sample of men who have sex with men in China. Sexually transmitted infections 2014; 90 (6): 469-74.
3. Bien CH, Best JM, Muessig KE, et al. Gay apps for seeking sex partners in China: Implications for MSM sexual health. AIDS and Behavior 2015;19(6):941-46.
4. Best J, Tang W, Zhang Y, et al. Sexual behaviors and HIV/Syphilis testing among transgender individuals in China: implications for expanding HIV testing services. Sexually transmitted diseases 2015;42(5):281-285.
2. Wei C, Muessig KE, Bien C, et al. Strategies for promoting HIV testing uptake: willingness to receive couple-based and collective HIV testing among a cross-sectional online sample of men who have sex with men in China. Sexually transmitted infections 2014; 90 (6): 469-74.
3. Bien CH, Best JM, Muessig KE, et al. Gay apps for seeking sex partners in China: Implications for MSM sexual health. AIDS and Behavior 2015;19(6):941-46.
4. Best J, Tang W, Zhang Y, et al. Sexual behaviors and HIV/Syphilis testing among transgender individuals in China: implications for expanding HIV testing services. Sexually transmitted diseases 2015;42(5):281-285.
Years of recruitment: 2014
Sample size: 1424 (randomised controlled trial: 721)
Description: We recruited through three MSM sites in North, South and East China. The survey was voluntary and anonymous.
Sample criteria: biological male; history of male-to-male anal sex; 16 years of age or older; willingness to provide a telephone number to receive a reward.
RCT sample criteria: biological male; history of male-to-male anal sex; 16 years of age or older; never tested for HIV; willing to provide a phone number to receive a reward.
Detailed information: Tang W, Han L, Best J, et al. Crowdsourcing HIV test promotion videos: a noninferiority randomized controlled trial in China. Clinical Infectious Diseases 62: 1436-42. Diseases 62: 1436-42.
Description: We recruited through three MSM sites in North, South and East China. The survey was voluntary and anonymous.
Sample criteria: biological male; history of male-to-male anal sex; 16 years of age or older; willingness to provide a telephone number to receive a reward.
RCT sample criteria: biological male; history of male-to-male anal sex; 16 years of age or older; never tested for HIV; willing to provide a phone number to receive a reward.
Detailed information: Tang W, Han L, Best J, et al. Crowdsourcing HIV test promotion videos: a noninferiority randomized controlled trial in China. Clinical Infectious Diseases 62: 1436-42. Diseases 62: 1436-42.
→ Description
1. Davis A, Best J, Wei C, et al. Intimate partner violence and correlates with risk behaviors and HIV/STI diagnoses among men who have sex with men and men who have sex with men and women in China: A hidden epidemic. Sexually transmitted diseases 2015;42(7):387-92.
2. Davis A, Best J, Luo J, et al. Risk behaviours, HIV/STI testing and HIV/STI prevalence between men who have sex with men and men who have sex with both men and women in China. International journal of STD & AIDS 2015:0956462415596302.
3. Zhang Y, Best J, Tang W, et al. Transgender sexual health in China: a cross-sectional online survey in China. Sexually transmitted infections 2016:sextrans-2015-052350.
Tang W, Best J, Zhang Y, et al. Gay mobile apps and the evolving virtual risk environment: a cross-sectional online survey among men who have sex with men in China. Sexually Transmitted Infections 2016:sextrans-2015-052469.
→ Description
Recruitment year: 29 July to 21 August 2016
Sample size: 1381 Men who have sex with men
DESCRIPTION: MSM were recruited from 29 July to 21 August 2016 via Blued (MSM's social networking mobile app).
Sample criteria: biologically male for life, had anal sex at least once in male lifetime, and no anal or vaginal sex in the past three months at least 16 years of age.
RCT sample criteria: biologically male for life, at least one episode of anal sex in the male's lifetime, no anal or vaginal intercourse in the past three months, at least 16 years of age, HIV negative, able to provide a mobile phone number for reward and follow-up.
→ Published papers
1. Tang, W., Wei, C., Cao, B., Wu, D., Li, K. T., Lu, H., ... & Mollan, K. R. (2018). Crowdsourcing to expand HIV testing among men who have sex with men in China: a closed cohort stepped wedge cluster randomized controlled trial. PLoS medicine, 15(8), e1002645.
Year of recruitment: 2015
Sample size: 1173
Description: We are partnering with Danlan (Beijing, China), an organisation that runs Blued (a gay partner-seeking mobile app with over 27 million users) to recruit participants online.
Sample criteria: Biologically born male, had at least one male anal intercourse in their lifetime, and no anal or vaginal intercourse in the past 3 months at least 16 years old.
Sample size: 1173
Description: We are partnering with Danlan (Beijing, China), an organisation that runs Blued (a gay partner-seeking mobile app with over 27 million users) to recruit participants online.
Sample criteria: Biologically born male, had at least one male anal intercourse in their lifetime, and no anal or vaginal intercourse in the past 3 months at least 16 years old.
→Published papers
1. Reimagining Health Communication: A Noninferiority Randomized Controlled Trial of Crowdsourced Intervention in China. Sex Transm Dis. 2019 Mar;46 (3):172-178