“A Double-Edged Sword”: Health Professionals’ Perspectives on the Health and Social Impacts of Gay Dating Apps on Young Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer Men

Maxim Gaudette, Tara Chanady and Olivier Ferlatte authored a publication examining health professional’s perceptions of gay dating apps (GDAs) impacts for young gay, bisexual, trans and queer men (YGBTQM).

GDAs are widely used by gay, bisexual, trans and queer people, but their effects on young people are less well known. To better understand these effects, we interviewed 28 healthcare professionals, as they have access to privileged information about JHGBTQ and can provide unique insight into the effects of ARGs on the health and well-being of JHGBTQ. Our analysis highlights how effects can be simultaneously positive and negative for JHGBTQ, which we group into three categories for this purpose. Firstly, health professionals explained that ARGs made sexual encounters more accessible, which for some made JHGBTQ sexuality more transactional, while for others, more fulfilling. Second, ARGs were seen as creating a sense of community for some JHGBTQ, while exposing others to more discrimination and stigma. Thirdly, healthcare professionals explained that ARGs can increase sexual and drug-related risks, but also represent unique opportunities for education, prevention and intervention. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine the effects of ARGs on JHGBTQ from the perspective of healthcare professionals, contributing to a better understanding of the complexities and nuances of these effects.

Read the full article:  https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00224499.2022.2153786