Skip to main content
Key Specialties
Cardiology Diabetology Endocrinology Gastroenterology Geriatrics and Gerontology Gynecology and Obstetrics Hematology Infectious Disease Internal Medicine Nephrology Neurology Oncology Pediatrics Respiratory Medicine Rheumatology Surgery
Congress Coverage
2024 ACC Congress 2023 ESMO Congress 2023 EASD Congress 2023 ERS Congress 2023 ESC Congress
Clinical Collections
Advances in Alzheimer’s

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

LIVE: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)
Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.
ADVANCED SEARCH
Log in
Top
AIDS and Behavior
Published in: AIDS and Behavior 3/2015

01-03-2015 | Original Paper

Acceptability and Feasibility of Using Established Geosocial and Sexual Networking Mobile Applications to Promote HIV and STD Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men

Authors: Christina J. Sun, Jason Stowers, Cindy Miller, Laura H. Bachmann, Scott D. Rhodes

Published in: AIDS and Behavior | Issue 3/2015

Login to get access

Abstract

This study is the first published multi-app study, of which we are aware, to evaluate both the acceptability and feasibility of providing sexual health information and HIV/STD testing referrals via established geosocial and sexual networking apps for MSM. Data were collected using an online survey and through four apps (A4A Radar, Grindr, Jack’d, and Scruff). Two-thirds (64 %) found apps to be an acceptable source for sexual health information. MSM who found apps as acceptable were more likely non-white, not sure of their current HIV status, and have low HIV testing self-efficacy. One-quarter (26 %) of informational chats with the health educator resulted in users requesting and being referred to local HIV/STD testing sites. There were significant differences in the number and types of interactions across apps. Established apps designed for MSM may be both an acceptable and feasible platform to promote HIV/STD testing. Future research should evaluate interventions that leverage this technology.
Literature
1.
Purcell DW, Johnson CH, Lansky A, et al. Estimating the population size of men who have sex with men in the United States to obtain HIV and syphilis rates. Open AIDS J. 2012;6(Suppl 1:M6):98–107.
2.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Estimated HIV incidence in the United States, 2007–2010. HIV Surveillance Supplemental Report 2012;17(No. 4).
3.
4.
5.
6.
Hanna DB, Selik RM, Tang T, Gange SJ. Disparities among US states in HIV-related mortality in persons with HIV infection, 2001–2007. AIDS. 2012;26(1):95–103.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
7.
North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. Epidemiologic profile for HIV/STD prevention & care planning. Raleigh, NC; 2012.
8.
Free C, Phillips G, Galli L, et al. The effectiveness of mobile-health technology-based health behaviour change or disease management interventions for health care consumers: a systematic review. PLoS Med. 2013;10(1):1–45.
9.
Lim MSC, Hocking JS, Aitken CK, et al. Impact of text and email messaging on the sexual health of young people: a randomised controlled trial. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2012;66(1):69–74.CrossRefPubMed
10.
Lester RT, Ritvo P, Mills EJ, et al. Effects of a mobile phone short message service on antiretroviral treatment adherence in Kenya (WelTel Kenya1): a randomised trial. Lancet. 2010;376(9755):1838–45.CrossRefPubMed
11.
Bourne C, Knight V, Guy R, Wand H, Lu H, McNulty A. Short message service reminder intervention doubles sexually transmitted infection/HIV re-testing rates among men who have sex with men. Sex Transm Infect. 2011;87(3):229–31.CrossRefPubMed
12.
Gold J, Aitken CK, Dixon HG, et al. A randomised controlled trial using mobile advertising to promote safer sex and sun safety to young people. Health Educ Res. 2011;26(5):782–94.CrossRefPubMed
13.
Rhodes SD, Vissman AT, Stowers J, et al. A CBPR partnership increases HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM): outcome findings from a pilot test of the CyBER/testing internet intervention. Health Educ Behav. 2011;38(3):311–20.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
14.
Reback CJ, Grant DL, Fletcher JB, et al. Text messaging reduces HIV risk behaviors among methamphetamine-using men who have sex with men. AIDS Behav. 2012;16(7):1993–2002.CrossRefPubMed
15.
Odeny TA, Bailey RC, Bukusi EA, et al. Text messaging to improve attendance at post-operative clinic visits after adult male circumcision for HIV prevention: a randomized controlled trial. PLoS ONE. 2012;7(9):e43832.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
16.
17.
Lim MSC, Hocking JS, Hellard ME, Aitken CK. SMS STI: A review of the uses of mobile phone text messaging in sexual health. Int J STD AIDS. 2008;19(5):287–90.CrossRefPubMed
18.
Swendeman D, Rotheram-Borus MJ. Innovation in sexually transmitted disease and HIV prevention: internet and mobile phone delivery vehicles for global diffusion. Curr Opin Psychiatry. 2010;23(2):139–44.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
19.
Bull SS, Walker T, Levine D. Communities and technology: enhancements in HIV prevention research and practice among adolescents and young adults. In: Rhodes SD, editor. Innovations in HIV prevention research and practice through community engagement. New York: Springer; 2014.
20.
Nielsen. State of the media: the social media report; 2012. p. 1–28.
21.
22.
Appling G, Pappalardo G. The rise of mobile application stores: gateways to the world of apps; 2010. p. 1–18.
23.
Muessig KE, Pike EC, Legrand S, Hightow-Weidman LB. Mobile phone applications for the care and prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases: a review. J Med Internet Res. 2013;15(1):e1.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
24.
Grosskopf NA, Levasseur MT, Glaser DB. Use of the internet and mobile-based “apps” for sex-seeking among men who have sex with men in New York City. Am J Mens Health. 2014;8(6):510–20; epub ahead of print.
25.
Ross MW, Tikkanen R, Månsson SA. Differences between Internet samples and conventional samples of men who have sex with men: implications for research and HIV interventions. Soc Sci Med. 2000;51(5):749–58.CrossRefPubMed
26.
Elford J, Bolding G, Davis M, Sherr L, Hart G. Web-based behavioral surveillance among men who have sex with men: a comparison of online and offline samples in London, UK. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2004;35(4):421–6.CrossRefPubMed
27.
Flores SA, Bakeman R, Millett GA, Peterson JL. HIV risk among bisexually and homosexually active racially diverse young men. Sex Transm Dis. 2009;36(5):325–9.CrossRefPubMed
28.
Landovitz RJ, Tseng C-H, Weissman M, et al. Epidemiology, sexual risk behavior, and HIV prevention practices of men who have sex with men using GRINDR in Los Angeles, California. J Urban Heal. 2013;90(4):729–39.CrossRef
29.
Rendina HJ, Jimenez RH, Grov C, Ventuneac A, Parsons JT. Patterns of lifetime and recent HIV testing among men who have sex with men in New York City who use Grindr. AIDS Behav. 2014;18(1):41–9.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
30.
31.
Hemmelgarn S. Grindr now STD outreach tool. Bay Area Report. 2014;44(17):1–5.
32.
The Social Science Research Lab. Lessons learned in the field—Vista Community Clinic’s online HIV prevention activities: 2008–2012; 2013. p. 1–39.
33.
Oregon HIV/Viral Hepatitis/Sexually Transmitted Infection Integrated Planning Group. Oregon’s jurisdictional HIV prevention plan; 2012. p. 1–46.
34.
China-Gates Foundation HIV Prevention Cooperation Program. A new HIV/AIDS intervention model for MSM: experience of using social media for AIDS interventions and HIV testing; 2013. p. 1–50.
35.
Rhodes SD, Mann L, Alonzo J, et al. CBPR to prevent HIV within ethnic, sexual, and gender minority communities: successes with long-term sustainability. In: Rhodes SD, editor. Innovations in HIV prevention research and practice through community engagement. New York: Springer; 2014.CrossRef
36.
Rhodes SD, Bowie DA, Hergenrather KC. Collecting behavioural data using the world wide web: considerations for researchers. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2003;57(1):68–73.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
37.
Rhodes SD, Hergenrather KC, Yee LJ, Ramsey B. Comparing MSM in the southeastern United States who participated in an HIV prevention chat room-based outreach intervention and those who did not: how different are the baseline HIV-risk profiles? Health Educ Res. 2008;23(1):180–90.CrossRefPubMed
38.
Rhodes SD, Hergenrather KC, Duncan J, et al. A pilot intervention utilizing Internet chat rooms to prevent HIV risk behaviors among men who have sex with men. Public Health Rep. 2010;125(Suppl 1):29–37.PubMedCentralPubMed
39.
Rhodes SD, Hergenrather KC, Yee LJ, Knipper E, Wilkin AM, Omli MR. Characteristics of a sample of men who have sex with men, recruited from gay bars and Internet chat rooms, who report methamphetamine use. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2007;21(8):575–83.CrossRefPubMed
40.
Rhodes SD, DiClemente RJ, Cecil H, Hergenrather KC, Yee LJ. Risk among men who have sex with men in the United States: a comparison of an Internet sample and a conventional outreach sample. AIDS Educ Prev. 2002;14(1):41–50.CrossRefPubMed
41.
O’Brien MC, McCoy TP, Champion H, et al. Single question about drunkenness to detect college students at risk for injury. Acad Emerg Med. 2006;13(6):629–36.CrossRefPubMed
42.
Rhodes SD, McCoy TP, Hergenrather KC, et al. Prevalence estimates of health risk behaviors of immigrant Latino men who have sex with men. J Rural Health. 2012;28(1):73–83.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
43.
Hosmer DW, Lemeshow S. Applied logistic regression. New York: Wiley; 1989.
44.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Revised recommendations for HIV testing of adults, adolescents, and pregnant women in health-care settings. MMWR. 2006;55(RR14):1–17.
45.
46.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV testing and risk behaviors among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men—United States. MMWR. 2013;62(47):958–62.
47.
Plankey MW, Ostrow DG, Stall R, et al. The relationship between methamphetamine and popper use and risk of HIV seroconversion in the multicenter AIDS cohort study. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2007;45(1):85–92.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
48.
Hartfield LA, Horvath KJ, Jacoby SM, Rosser BRS. Comparison of substance use and risky sexual behavior among a diverse sample of urban, HIV-positive men who have sex with men. J Addict Dis. 2007;28(3):208–18.CrossRef
49.
Colfax G. Substance Use and Sexual Risk: a participant- and episode-level analysis among a cohort of men who have sex with men. Am J Epidemiol. 2004;159(10):1002–12.CrossRefPubMed
50.
Stall R, Purcell DW. Intertwining epidemics: a review of research on substance use among men who have sex with men and its connection to the AIDS epidemic. AIDS Behav. 2000;4(2):181–92.CrossRef
51.
Holloway IW, Rice E, Gibbs J, Winetrobe H, Dunlap S, Rhoades H. Acceptability of smartphone application-based HIV prevention among young men who have sex with men. AIDS Behav. 2014;18(2):285–96.CrossRefPubMedCentralPubMed
Metadata
Title
Acceptability and Feasibility of Using Established Geosocial and Sexual Networking Mobile Applications to Promote HIV and STD Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Authors
Christina J. Sun
Jason Stowers
Cindy Miller
Laura H. Bachmann
Scott D. Rhodes
Publication date
01-03-2015
Publisher
Springer US
Published in
AIDS and Behavior / Issue 3/2015
Print ISSN: 1090-7165
Electronic ISSN: 1573-3254
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0942-5

Other articles of this Issue 3/2015

AIDS and Behavior 3/2015 Go to the issue

Brief Report

Computer-Based Video to Increase HIV Testing Among Emergency Department Patients Who Decline

Original Paper

Daily Associations Between Alcohol Use and Unprotected Anal Sex Among Heavy Drinking HIV-Positive Men Who Have Sex with Men

Original Paper

Efficacy of an HIV/AIDS and HIV Testing Video for Spanish-Speaking Latinos in Healthcare and Non-Healthcare Settings

Original Paper

The Effects of Sexual Sensation Seeking and Alcohol Use on Risky Sexual Behavior Among Men Who Have Sex with Men

Original Paper

Individualized Texting for Adherence Building (iTAB): Improving Antiretroviral Dose Timing Among HIV-Infected Persons with Co-occurring Bipolar Disorder

Original Paper

Intoxication at Last Sexual Intercourse and Unprotected Sex among HIV-Positive and HIV-Negative Individuals in Uganda: An Event-Level Analysis
Live Webinar | 27-06-2024 | 18:00 (CEST)

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Reserve your place

Live: Thursday 27th June 2024, 18:00-19:30 (CEST)

WHO estimates that half of all patients worldwide are non-adherent to their prescribed medication. The consequences of poor adherence can be catastrophic, on both the individual and population level.

Join our expert panel to discover why you need to understand the drivers of non-adherence in your patients, and how you can optimize medication adherence in your clinics to drastically improve patient outcomes.

Prof. Kevin Dolgin
Prof. Florian Limbourg
Prof. Anoop Chauhan
Developed by: Springer Medicine
Obesity Clinical Trial Summary

At a glance: The STEP trials

Read more

A round-up of the STEP phase 3 clinical trials evaluating semaglutide for weight loss in people with overweight or obesity.

Developed by: Springer Medicine
Image Credits