Social media may prove useful in prevention of HIV, STDs, study shows

This study helps direct us toward that goal by suggesting that participants will use social media to learn about HIV prevention and that those who talk about HIV prevention over social networking groups are not just talking about it — they are acting on their words by getting an HIV test."   The study also demonstrates that social networking can be a useful tool for collecting and analyzing data, added Young, who is a member of the Center for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment Services (CHIPTS) at UCLA.   "Having one platform that allows multiple types of data collection and analysis can save money and improve the accuracy of research findings," he said.    The researchers recruited African American and Latino men who have sex with men, either through banner ads placed on social networking sites such as Facebook and MySpace, through a Facebook fan page with study information, through banner ads and posts on Craigslist, and from venues such as bars, schools, gyms and community organizations in Los Angeles. They also recruited study subjects from other population groups to add diversity to the study group.   African American men who have sex with men have been shown to have a disproportionately high risk of becoming infected with HIV, and Latino men are also at high risk, the researchers said.   In total, 112 participants were recruited, nearly 90 percent of whom were African American or Latino, for the 12-w...
Source: UCLA Newsroom: Health Sciences - Category: Universities & Medical Training Source Type: news