TY - JOUR
T1 - Using grindr, a smartphone social-networking application, to increase HIV self-testing among black and latino men who have sex with men in Los Angeles, 2014
AU - Huang, Emily
AU - Marlin, Robert W.
AU - Young, Sean D.
AU - Medline, Alex
AU - Klausner, Jeffrey D.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose. This work was supported by the Center for HIV Identification, Prevention, and Treatment (CHIPTS) NIMH grant MH58107 and the UCLA Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) grant P30AI028697. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of NIH. We would like to thank Keith Daniel for assistance establishing a redemption system at Walgreens.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2016 The Guilford Press.
PY - 2016/8
Y1 - 2016/8
N2 - In Los Angeles County, about 25% of men who have sex with men (MSM) are HIV-positive but unaware of their status. An advertisement publicizing free HIV self-tests was placed on Grindr, a smartphone social-networking application, from April 17 to May 29, 2014. Users were linked to http://freehivselftests.weebly.com/ to choose a self-test delivery method: U.S. mail, a Walgreens voucher, or from a vending machine. Black or Latino MSM ≥ 18 years old were invited to take a testing experiences survey. During the campaign, the website received 11,939 unique visitors (average: 284 per day) and 334 self-test requests. Among 57 survey respondents, 55 (97%) reported that using the self-test was easy; two persons reported testing HIV positive and both sought medical care. Social networking application self-testing promotion resulted in a large number of self-test requests and has high potential to reach untested high-risk populations who will link to care if they test positive.
AB - In Los Angeles County, about 25% of men who have sex with men (MSM) are HIV-positive but unaware of their status. An advertisement publicizing free HIV self-tests was placed on Grindr, a smartphone social-networking application, from April 17 to May 29, 2014. Users were linked to http://freehivselftests.weebly.com/ to choose a self-test delivery method: U.S. mail, a Walgreens voucher, or from a vending machine. Black or Latino MSM ≥ 18 years old were invited to take a testing experiences survey. During the campaign, the website received 11,939 unique visitors (average: 284 per day) and 334 self-test requests. Among 57 survey respondents, 55 (97%) reported that using the self-test was easy; two persons reported testing HIV positive and both sought medical care. Social networking application self-testing promotion resulted in a large number of self-test requests and has high potential to reach untested high-risk populations who will link to care if they test positive.
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U2 - 10.1521/aeap.2016.28.4.341
DO - 10.1521/aeap.2016.28.4.341
M3 - Article
C2 - 27427928
AN - SCOPUS:84978731128
SN - 0899-9546
VL - 28
SP - 341
EP - 349
JO - AIDS Education and Prevention
JF - AIDS Education and Prevention
IS - 4
ER -