Dating apps by likelihood of sex

People using dating apps to 'hook up' are more likely to have a sexually transmitted infection and not use protection than those who meet in other ways, a study has found.

The increasing popularity of dating apps means that finding a new sexual partner is as easy as a few swipes on a screen – but researchers found this comes with risks.

A team from the Public Health Agency of Sweden surveyed more than 14,500 men and women aged 16 to 84 about their sexual behaviour, online dating and health. 

They didn't ask which apps or services people used, but found those turning to digital dating tools were more likely to have an STI and less likely to use a condom. 

People using dating apps to 'hook up' are more likely to have a sexually transmitted infection and not use protection than those who meet in other ways, study finds. Stock image

The goal of the study was to explore the extent to which finding sexual partners online was associated with risky behaviours, including unprotected sex. 

Young people and men between the ages of 30 and 44 were the most likely to turn to dating apps to meet someone for a temporary 'hook up', the data revealed. 

The team also discovered that regardless of age or gender, people using dating apps were also more likely to pay for or receive money as a compensation for sex.

Lead author Charlotte Deogan said campaigns to raise awareness of sexual health may be particularly important for men aged 30 to 44.

'They’re less likely to attend sexual health clinics and more likely to engage in sexually risky behaviours with partners found online,' she explained.

Of the 14,500 people surveyed by the team, 11 per cent of men said they'd used the internet to meet sexual partners and seven per cent of women. 

Among the questions on the survey, the team asked about sexual orientation, and found a higher proportion of LGBTQ+ people used dating apps than heterosexuals.

'The highest proportion (67 per cent) of men having used the internet to meet sexual partners was reported by gay men 30–44 years of age,' the team explained.

A team from the Public Health Agency of Sweden surveyed more than 14,500 men and women aged 16 to 84 about the sexual behaviour, online dating and health. Stock image

There was also a link to education, with university-educated women four times less likely to look to dating apps to find a partner than those without a degree. 

Sweden makes for an interesting case study in the use of digital services for dating, according to the authors, as 99 per cent of adults use the web daily.  

'Online arenas may facilitate sexual encounters, but to what extent meeting partners online is associated with sexual risk behaviors and sexual health outcomes is still not fully explored among the Swedish general population,' authors wrote.  

There were limitations to the study, authors explained. This included the fact the survey only asked if people had ever used the internet to find a date, not how recent.

They also had no way to tell whether those responding were just as likely to engage in risky unprotected sex with partners they meet online as those they meet offline.

'It remains unclear whether the Internet use is the cause or a marker for increased sexual risk,' the team wrote.

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