Within recent years public health interventions have become technologically based to reflect the digital age we currently live in and appeal to the public in innovative and novel ways. The Internet breaks down boundaries distance imposes and increases our ability to reach and connect with people. Internet-based interventions have the potential to expand access to effective behavioral interventions. The US National HIV/AIDS Strategy states that people living with HIV should have access to effective behavioral interventions like Healthy Relationships (HR) to help them develop safe sex and disclosure skills. However, access to HR is limited across the country, especially for people in remote or rural areas. Internet-based Healthy Relationships Video Groups (HR-VG) delivered at home or community based organizations (CBOs) can possibly expand access. This study assesses the preferences of women living with HIV (WLH) for participation in HR-VG among 21 WLH who participated in a randomized control trial (RCT) testing HR-VG and completed open-ended semi-structured telephone interviews. Transcripts were thematically analyzed to determine advantages, disadvantages and overall preference for home or agency delivery of HR-VG. Themes relating to convenience, technology access, privacy, distractions, HIV serostatus disclosure and social opportunities were identified as advantages or disadvantages to participating in HR-VG at each location. Overall privacy was the most salient concern of accessing HR-VG at home or at a CBO. Considering the concerns expressed by WLH, further studies are needed to assess how an Internet-based intervention delivered at home for WLH can maintain privacy while being cost effective.

An increasing number of young adults are using online dating sites and mobile apps. The "common connections" feature on Tinder displays mutual Facebook friends between users and might serve as an unintentional validation of a user's character. This study investigates condom use differences between partners met via mobile dating apps or in-person; and if the "common connections" feature affects the perceived sexual risk Tinder users have toward partners met online. College students who met a partner online or in-person in the past year were recruited from a large metropolitan university to complete an online survey. Participants answered questions about sexual risk behavior, condom use, Tinder use, and the effect "common connections" could have on sexual risk behaviors. The likelihood of condomless vaginal sex was no different if participants met their partner through an app or in-person. Among a subset of participants who reported using Tinder, having "common connections" with a potential date decreased the likelihood that they would talk to their date about HIV (p = 0.004) or STI testing (p = 0.001). The "common connections" feature on Tinder might influence sexual decision-making because users are able to evaluate potential dates based on their social network. Our findings suggest that Tinder users may (1) perceive partners with whom they share "common connections" as familiar or "safe," which may give users a false sense of security about the sexual health risks that a potential date may pose or (2) be hesitant to discuss sexual health matters with partners who are within their sexual network due to fear of potential gossip. Both lines of thought may reduce safer sex behaviors among sex partners who meet on Tinder.

Nurse practitioners and midwives reported that an eHealth app prototype assisted in providing them with the information, motivation, and skills needed to implement the oral health guidelines into routine prenatal care visits.

No abstract