Search

Undetectable = Untransmittable (U = U) is the scientific fact that HIV cannot be transmitted when an individual is virally suppressed. This breakthrough discovery has the potential to greatly reduce HIV stigma and its negative effects. However, U = U is not widely known. Given that Twitter has the potential to raise awareness of health issues, the purpose of this study was to analyze the content of the #UequalsU on Twitter. The results showed that mentioning sex and mentioning love were strong predictors that a tweet would be liked and retweeted. This information could help to spread the message of U = U more widely and potentially lessen HIV stigma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined how frequently men who have sex with men (MSM) used a selection of sources, including news media, social media, health organizations, and dating/hookup apps, for HIV information. Additionally, the study explored the extent to which MSM's efficacy beliefs about pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and perceptions of condom importance could be predicted by the sources they used. A sample of MSM (N= 969) were surveyed online. Results showed that respondents obtained information about HIV most often from HIV organizations, LGBT organizations, and dating/hookup apps, particularly the apps Growlr, Scruff, and Grindr. Use of the app Scruff was the strongest source-based predictor of beliefs about both PrEP and condoms. Implications for health promotion are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

HIV is a serious problem in the USA, particularly for men who have sex with men (MSM). A new means of HIV prevention, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), has been shown to be highly effective. However, in spite of earning FDA approval, adoption of PrEP by MSM has been limited. The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of a sample of 38 MSM who have adopted PrEP, focusing on communication with healthcare providers and social networks. In-depth interviews were used to collect data. Findings revealed that stigmatization by healthcare providers as well as stigmatization by other MSM was a relatively common experience for participants. Additionally, participants described that a high level of health literacy, health advocacy, and communication skill were necessary to adopt PrEP. Given these findings, strategies are suggested for improving MSM’s healthcare and increasing rates of PrEP adoption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On May 14, 2014 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) endorsed the drug Truvada as an HIV preventative, called pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). PrEP has been shown to dramatically reduce the risk of HIV infection, but its rate of adoption has been slow, and discourse surrounding it has been marked by stigma and uncertainty. The purpose of this study was to investigate how PrEP was discussed on Twitter. Our analysis focused on barriers to PrEP adoption and stigmatization of PrEP users. We analyzed a random sample of 1,093 top tweets about PrEP posted to Twitter a year before and a year after the CDC’s endorsement. Our results showed that tweets likely reinforced uncertainty about barriers to PrEP adoption and that users employed Twitter’s functionality to counter stigmatizing narratives about PrEP. We suggest that our findings illuminate both the limitations and strengths of Twitter as a mechanism for health promotion. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]