Pic: Jonathan Kitchen/Getty Images
Long after the top regarding the American
AIDS
situation,
HIV
still is a major problem among gay guys, who will be clinically determined to have the disease at a consistent level «more than 40 occasions regarding females and more than 44 occasions compared to various other guys,» as a
previous report
from inside the
Diary of Hospital Online Analysis
explains. The report, a survey of numerous tech-driven methods to reduce the price of
HIV
within this at-risk populace, factors toward the new generation of (ideally) efficient
treatments.
There are lots of fascinating options in the offing, given that research’s
news release explains
:
One interactive internet site, Sexpulse, created by medical researchers and computer system experts to focus on men which look for intimate partners on line, effectively decreased risky sexual behaviors. Another web site, Keep It Up! (
KIU
), used video games in lowering rates of exposed rectal intercourse. A 3rd initiative, a downloadable gaming, aided mitigate embarrassment sensed by some teenage boys with intercourse with guys, though the lowering of risky sexual behavior wasn’t statistically
significant.
The task let me reveal much less about
just what
information to provide, given that the basics of how
HIV
and
HELPS
work have already been very well-publicized at this time, than just how to provide it, since merely explaining that a behavior is hazardous is often not adequate to evolve
it.
It is critical to highlight this particular doesn’t just affect gay men; folks practice a number of risky habits, from substance abuse to overeating to cigarette smoking to presenting sedentary lifestyles, despite being told they can be harmful. For this reason issue of how to get individuals make more healthy choices is actually a huge area of issue for public-health scientists â creating a powerful conduct input may be an extremely tricky move to make. (We’ll be uploading a longer, a lot more in-depth article on this subject subject matter
quickly.)
Probably the most helpful methods wisely target social media sites â peer force has a tendency to impact united states with techniques other appeals often you should never. This is borne call at the
overview:
On social networks such as for example fb and Twitter, preferred individuals can distribute
HIV
-prevention messages on their buddies and supporters. The posting of data about
HIV
screening via respected sources on a social network did actually increase demands for
HIV
testing kits, one research discovered. Another learn discovered that making use of opinion leaders to disseminate
HIV
-prevention info via social networking sites may increase evaluating rates and bolster condom use during rectal intercourse with partners discovered
using the internet.
It really is an extremely strange quirk of human reasoning that packaging the same kind of details in a somewhat different means can result in much better outcomes. Thankfully, professionals are beginning to benefit from
this.
