Skip to main content
. 2017 Apr 10;93(8):572–582. doi: 10.1136/sextrans-2016-052994

Table 2.

Variations in reporting finding sexual partners on the internet by key sociodemographic and health behaviours in women reporting one or more new sexual partners in the past year and those reporting at least one sexual partner, ever (2010–2012)

Women reporting one or more new sexual partner, past year (n=1776)
Women reporting one or more sexual partner, ever (n=8198)
Prevalence Crude OR Adjusted OR* Prevalence Crude OR Adjusted OR*
% (95% CI†) (95% CI) (95% CI) Denominator‡ % (95% CI†) (95% CI) (95% CI) Denominator‡
Overall 10.1 (8.5 to 11.9) 1776, 1094 2.4 (2.1 to 2.8) 8198, 7160
Sociodemographic characteristics
Age group (years) p<0.0001 0.0006
16–24 4.2 (3.0 to 5.8) 1.00 845, 461 3.0 (2.3 to 4.0) 1.00 1739, 967
25–34 12.8 (9.6 to 16.8) 3.37 (2.07 to 5.48) 539, 271 3.6 (2.8 to 4.6) 1.22 (0.82 to 1.80) 2393, 1321
35–44 17.7 (12.2 to 24.9) 4.94 (2.76 to 8.84) 177, 163 2.8 (2.0 to 3.9) 0.93 (0.59 to 1.48) 1182, 1415
45–54 13.2 (8.4 to 20.0) 3.48 (1.89 to 6.41) 135, 129 1.9 (1.3 to 2.8) 0.64 (0.39 to 1.03) 1088, 1403
55–64 13.2 (5.8 to 27.1) 3.49 (1.36 to 8.96) 55, 52 1.6 (1.0 to 2.5) 0.51 (0.29 to 0.91) 984, 1185
65–74 Too small to report 1.0 (0.5 to 2.0) 0.32 (0.15 to 0.69) 812, 868
Ethnicity p=0.5350 p=0.4444 p=0.1910 p=0.3827
White 10.2 (8.5 to 12.2) 1.00 1.00 1543, 933 2.3 (2.0 to 2.7) 1.00 1.00 7339, 6390
Asian 5.1 (1.2 to 19.1) 0.47 (0.11 to 2.03) 0.44 (0.10 to 1.96) 65, 56 2.2 (1.0 to 4.8) 0.96 (0.42 to 2.17) 0.86 (0.38 to 1.96) 323, 311
Black 7.7 (3.2 to 17.4) 0.73 (0.29 to 1.85) 0.82 (0.32 to 2.08) 63, 45 2.3 (1.2 to 4.4) 0.99 (0.49 to 1.99) 0.91 (0.45 to 1.82) 246, 235
Mixed/other 14.7 (6.8 to 29.0) 1.52 (0.64 to 3.60) 1.69 (0.71 to 4.03) 92, 58 5.0 (2.5 to 9.7) 2.22 (1.08 to 4.58) 1.88 (0.91 to 3.91) 272, 208
NSSEC code (individual socioeconomic status)§ p<0.0001 p=0.0074 p=0.3835 p=0.2588
Managerial and professional occupations 16.2 (12.3 to 21.1) 1.00 1.00 377, 257 2.8 (2.2 to 3.5) 1.00 1.00 2369, 2257
Intermediate occupations 11.7 (7.6 to 17.6) 0.68 (0.39 to 1.21) 0.71 (0.40 to 1.27) 275, 179 2.3 (1.6 to 3.2) 0.83 (0.55 to 1.24) 0.83 (0.55 to 1.25) 1607, 1444
Semi-routine/routine occupations 8.8 (6.3 to 12.3) 0.5 (0.31 to 0.82) 0.56 (0.33 to 0.93) 555, 319 2.3 (1.7 to 3.0) 0.82 (0.56 to 1.21) 0.78 (0.52 to 1.15) 2315, 1902
No job (10+ hours/week) or not in last 10 years 11.4 (6.6 to 18.9) 0.66 (0.33 to 1.31) 0.69 (0.34 to 1.39) 154, 99 1.7 (1.1 to 2.6) 0.61 (0.37 to 1.00) 0.77 (0.47 to 1.28) 1119, 1064
Student in full-time education 3.5 (2.1 to 5.9) 0.19 (0.10 to 0.36) 0.27 (0.13 to 0.55) 394, 234 2.5 (1.6 to 4.0) 0.92 (0.54 to 1.55) 0.54 (0.30 to 0.95) 745, 454
Quintiles of IMD¶ p=0.1616 p=0.1516 p=0.0725 p=0.1151
1 (least deprived) 9.3 (6.0 to 14.1) 1.00 1.00 257, 167 1.6 (1.1 to 2.4) 1.00 1.00 1504, 1457
2 14.7 (10.1 to 21.1) 1.69 (0.89 to 3.19) 1.77 (0.92 to 3.41) 324, 206 2.9 (2.1 to 4.0) 1.78 (1.07 to 2.97) 1.74 (1.05 to 2.90) 1603, 1492
3 8.0 (5.1 to 12.2) 0.84 (0.44 to 1.63) 0.83 (0.43 to 1.62) 331, 214 2.0 (1.4 to 2.7) 1.21 (0.73 to 2.01) 1.13 (0.68 to 1.88) 1605, 1398
4 10.4 (7.3 to 14.6) 1.13 (0.62 to 2.07) 1.2 (0.64 to 2.23) 401, 249 3.0 (2.2 to 3.9) 1.84 (1.14 to 2.99) 1.66 (1.03 to 2.68) 1705, 1430
5 (most deprived) 8.3 (6.0 to 11.5) 0.89 (0.49 to 1.60) 0.97 (0.53 to 1.78) 454, 258 2.5 (1.9 to 3.3) 1.54 (0.96 to 2.49) 1.37 (0.86 to 2.20) 1781, 1384
Population density of residence** p=0.8583 p=0.7970 p=0.0260 p=0.0689
Rural or town area 10.5 (6.6 to 16.1) 1.00 1.00 294, 179 1.7 (1.2 to 2.4) 1.00 1.00 1732, 1640
Urban area 10.0 (8.3 to 12.0) 0.95 (0.56 to 1.62) 1.07 (0.64 to 1.79) 1473, 915 2.6 (2.2 to 3.0) 1.57 (1.06 to 2.35) 1.44 (0.97 to 2.13) 6466, 5520
Internet access at home p=0.1778 p=0.0820 p=0.1204 p=0.4433
No 6.7 (3.5 to 12.5) 1.00 1.00 212, 109 1.6 (1.0 to 2.7) 1.00 1.00 1048, 801
Yes 10.5 (8.8 to 12.4) 1.63 (0.80 to 3.30) 1.84 (0.93 to 3.65) 1552, 985 2.5 (2.1 to 2.9) 1.55 (0.89 to 2.69) 1.25 (0.71 to 2.18) 7136, 6345
Sexual identity p=0.0003 p=0.0001 p<0.0001 p<0.0001
Heterosexual/straight 9.3 (7.8 to 11.2) 1.00 1.00 1671, 1035 2.2 (1.9 to 2.6) 1.00 1.00 7918, 6949
Gay/lesbian Too small to report 6.1 (2.7 to 13.3) 2.88 (1.24 to 6.67) 2.69 (1.16 to 6.24) 92, 75
Bisexual 22.1 (12.6 to 35.9) 2.75 (1.36 to 5.55) 3.44 (1.69 to 6.97) 65, 41 10.8 (6.5 to 17.4) 5.3 (2.99 to 9.42) 4.15 (2.32 to 7.43) 150, 102
Relationship status at time of interview p=0.1637 p=0.0340 p<0.0001 p<0.0001
Married/civil partnership 7.0 (3.2 to 14.7) 1.00 1.00 118, 127 0.6 (0.4 to 1.0) 1.00 1.00 3089, 3685
Living with partner 7.33 (3.6 to 14.3) 1.06 (0.35 to 3.20) 1.78 (0.59 to 5.42) 195, 140 1.2 (0.6 to 2.2) 1.95 (0.89 to 4.29) 1.65 (0.75 to 3.60) 1311, 1044
In a ‘steady’ ongoing relationship but not living together 9.1 (6.7 to 12.3) 1.34 (0.55 to 3.24) 2.46 (1.00 to 6.05) 627, 341 4.8 (3.7 to 6.4) 8.4 (4.81 to 14.67) 6.72 (3.81 to 11.87) 1375, 797
Not in a ‘steady’ relationship 12.1 (9.9 to 14.8) 1.84 (0.79 to 4.32) 3.14 (1.34 to 7.36) 820, 483 5.9 (4.9 to 7.0) 10.33 (6.21 to 17.17) 9.65 (5.84 to 15.93) 2371, 1599
Health behaviours
Average alcohol consumption, per week†† p=0.9375 p=0.7692 p=0.1540 p=0.0296
None 9.5 (6.5 to 13.8) 1.00 1.00 393, 265 1.9 (1.4 to 2.6) 1.00 1.00 2607, 2296
Not more than recommended 10.2 (8.3 to 12.5) 1.08 (0.68 to 1.71) 1.12 (0.70 to 1.77) 1045, 633 2.4 (2.0 to 2.8) 1.25 (0.87 to 1.80) 1.23 (0.86 to 1.77) 4610, 4040
More than recommended 10.5 (6.8 to 15.9) 1.11 (0.59 to 2.08) 1.26 (0.67 to 2.37) 318, 191 3.8 (2.7 to 5.4) 2.03 (1.25 to 3.29) 1.91 (1.18 to 3.08) 950, 799
Current smoker p=0.1921 p=0.4816 p=0.0147 p=0.0821
No 10.9 (8.9 to 13.3) 1.00 1.00 1060, 692 2.2 (1.8 to 2.6) 1.00 1.00 5878, 5426
Yes 8.7 (6.6 to 11.15) 0.78 (0.54 to 1.13) 0.87 (0.60 to 1.28) 707, 402 3.1 (2.4 to 3.9) 1.45 (1.08 to 1.95) 1.31 (0.97 to 1.77) 2320, 1733
Drug use, past year p=0.0658 p=0.0015 p<0.0001 p<0.0001
None 9.3 (7.6 to 11.3) 1.00 1.00 1381, 876 2.1 (1.7 to 2.4) 1.00 1.00 7395, 6644
Yes, cannabis only 10.8 (6.5 to 17.4) 1.19 (0.66 to 2.15) 1.64 (0.90 to 3.00) 204, 120 5.3 (3.3 to 8.4) 2.66 (1.57 to 4.49) 2.09 (1.21 to 3.62) 440, 288
Yes, drugs other than cannabis 16.8 (10.6 to 25.6) 1.97 (1.11 to 3.51) 2.8 (1.56 to 5.01) 178, 96 8.9 (5.7 to 13.7) 4.66 (2.79 to 7.77) 3.58 (2.11 to 6.07) 338, 207

*Adjusted for age.

‡Unweighted, weighted.

§National Statistics Socio-economic Classification.17

¶IMD is a multidimensional measure of area-level deprivation based on participants’ postcode: IMD scores for England, Scotland and Wales were adjusted before being combined and assigned to quintiles, using a method by Payne and Abel.18

**Rural <10 000, urban >10 000.

††Recommended alcohol limits (21 units/week for men and 14 units/week for women) as defined by Royal College of Physicians.19

IMD, Index of Multiple Deprivation.