Games and Social Networking May Help Stop HIV in At-Risk Gay Guys


Pic: Jonathan Kitchen/Getty Images

Even after the top from the United states

AIDS

situation,

HIV

remains an issue among gay men, who will be diagnosed with the disease for a price “more than 40 occasions that of ladies and more than 44 occasions regarding other men,” as a
current report
when you look at the

Journal of Medical Internet Research

details. The report, a survey of varied tech-driven techniques to reduce the rate of

HIV

contained in this at-risk populace, things toward the new generation of (hopefully) efficient


interventions.

You will find several fascinating solutions planned, just like the study’s
press release details
:


One entertaining web site, Sexpulse, created by health care professionals and pc researchers to a target guys whom look for sexual partners on the internet, effectively paid off risky sexual actions. Another web site, Stick With It! (

KIU

), utilized game titles in reducing rates of unprotected anal intercourse. A 3rd step, a downloadable computer game, assisted mitigate shame noticed by some men who’ve intercourse with guys, although decline in risky sexual behavior wasn’t statistically


significant.

The task let me reveal significantly less about

exactly what

message to provide, because the fundamentals of exactly how

HIV

and

AIDS

work have been very well-publicized at this time, than how-to deliver it, since simply describing that a behavior is unsafe is often maybe not adequate adjust


it.

It is vital to explain that does not merely connect with homosexual guys; folks take part in a number of dangerous habits, from substance abuse to overeating to smoking cigarettes to using sedentary lifestyles, despite having been informed they can be dangerous. This is why issue of getting visitors to generate healthier decisions is an enormous section of issue for public-health experts — making a powerful behavior intervention can be a very tricky thing to do. (we will end up being posting an extended, much more detailed article with this topic


shortly.)

Several of the most useful methods wisely target social networks â€” peer stress tends to affect all of us with techniques additional is attractive frequently usually do not. This is borne out in the


analysis:


On social networks eg Facebook and Twitter, common individuals can distribute

HIV

-prevention emails for their buddies and fans. The posting of info about

HIV

evaluating join the dating app via this source on a social media seemed to increase needs for

HIV

testing kits, one learn discovered. Another research unearthed that utilizing viewpoint leaders to share

HIV

-prevention details via social support systems may increase testing prices and bolster condom use during anal sex with lovers discovered


using the internet.


It is a rather unusual quirk of man thought that presentation the same kind of details in a somewhat different means can cause better effects. Luckily, professionals are beginning to exploit


this.

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