Video gaming and Social Media Could Help Counter HIV in At-Risk Gay Men


Picture: Jonathan Kitchen/Getty Images

Even after the peak of United states

AIDS

crisis,

HIV

still is an issue among homosexual males, that are clinically determined to have the condition at a consistent level “more than 40 times regarding ladies and most 44 times that of some other males,” as a
current report
into the

Log of Hospital Web Analysis

explains. The report, a survey of various tech-driven tactics to reduce steadily the price of

HIV

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


treatments.

There are a few interesting solutions in the pipeline, given that learn’s
news release details
:


One interactive internet site, Sexpulse, crafted by medical researchers and computer scientists to target males whom seek intimate lovers on the web, successfully reduced risky intimate habits. Another site, Keep It Up! (

KIU

), used video gaming to help reduce rates of exposed anal sex. A third initiative, a downloadable computer game, aided mitigate embarrassment noticed by some men that have gender with guys, although the reduction in high-risk intimate conduct wasn’t mathematically


significant.

The process we have found much less about

what

message to provide, considering the fact that the fundamentals of exactly how

HIV

and

HELPS

work are rather well-publicized now, than how-to deliver it, since merely describing that a conduct is actually unsafe can be perhaps not enough to improve


it.

It is important to suggest this particular does not just connect with gay men; men and women take part in a variety of risky actions, from drug abuse to overeating to smoking cigarettes to using inactive lifestyles, despite being informed they may be risky. For this reason issue of ways to get individuals make better choices is actually an enormous part of issue for public-health experts — making a fruitful behavior input could be an extremely difficult course of action. (we’re going to end up being posting a lengthier, a lot more in-depth article with this subject matter


shortly.)

Probably the most of use strategies wisely target social support systems â€” peer force tends to influence you in manners other is attractive usually you should never. This was borne out in the


analysis:


On internet sites such as Facebook and Twitter, preferred individuals can spread

HIV

-prevention emails their buddies and followers. The posting of information about

HIV

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

HIV

screening sets, one research discovered. Another learn found that utilizing opinion leaders to share

HIV

-prevention information via social media sites may boost screening rates and bolster condom use during rectal intercourse with partners located


using the internet.


Its a very strange quirk of human beings thinking that packaging the same kind of info in a slightly various method can result in better effects. Thankfully, experts are starting to benefit from


this.