Online Health-Searching Behavior Among HIV-Seropositive and HIV-Seronegative Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Baltimore and Washington, DC Area

Abstract

BackgroundSearching online for health information is common among American adults. However, there have been few studies to investigate the online health-searching behaviors among men who have sex with men (MSM) with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of Internet use among HIV-seropositive MSM and compare their online behaviors with HIV-seronegative men with chronic disease(s).MethodsThis study was performed at the Baltimore/Washington, DC site of the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study (MACS). A total of 200 MACS participants were asked to answer a self-administered questionnaire on a first-come basis during a semiannual study visit (from July to November 2011); 195 (97.5%) participants completed the survey. Multiple logistic regression models were used to investigate the factors influencing their online health-searching behaviors.ResultsThe median age of the 195 MSM participants was 57 years, 64.6% were white, 59.0% were employed, and 88.2% had Internet access at home and/or other locations. Of the 95 HIV-seropositive participants, 89.5% currently used highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) and 82.1% had Internet access. After adjusting for age and race/ethnicity, the HIV-seropositive participants were less likely to perform online searches for general disease-related information compared to the HIV-seronegative men with chronic disease(s) (OR 0.20, 95% CI 0.06-0.68, P=.01). There were no statistically significant associations with HIV status and searching for new medications/treatments (OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.19-1.55, P=.26) or support/advice from other patients (OR 0.52, 95% CI 0.18-1.53, P=.24). Increasing age by 5 years led to a decrease by 29% in the odds of online health-related searches for general information (OR 0.71, 95% CI 0.52-0.98, P=.03) and 26% for support/advice from other patients (OR 0.74, 95% CI 0.56-0.98, P=.03). A decrease of 25% for new medications/treatments was also seen, but was not statistically significant (OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.57-1.01, P=.06).ConclusionsThis study shows that HIV-seropositive MSM have similar online health-searching behaviors as HIV-seronegative men with chronic disease(s). Independent of HIV status, older MSM are less likely to perform online health-related searches.

Online Outreach Services Among Men Who Use the Internet to Seek Sex With Other Men (MISM) in Ontario, Canada: An Online Survey

“…Similar to previous research [ 36 ], our findings suggest that MISM are actively using the Internet for information regarding HIV and other STIs. Given that previous research has suggested that GB2M in online environments may lack basic HIV education [ 17 ], this study's findings resonate with previous research that suggests that GB2M are increasingly using the Internet and mobile technologies for sexual contact and sexual health promotion and information.…”

Characteristics of the health information seeking behavior of LGBTQ+ individuals: a systematic review on information types, information sources and influencing factors

“…Conception and family planning information was frequently sought by sexual minority women (Polonijo and Hollister, 2011; Ruppel et al , 2017). LGBTQ+ individuals with cancer or other diseases were reported to seek information about medication or treatment online (Lee et al , 2019; Li et al , 2013). They were also reported to seek information about drugs or how to quit smoking.…”

“…They were also reported to seek information about drugs or how to quit smoking. Because LGBTQ+ individuals are at higher risk of experiencing poor mental health (Chakraborty et al , 2011), it is not surprising that they also sought information about depression, anxiety and social support (Mitchell et al , 2014; Li et al , 2013).…”

Social Media Use and HIV Screening Uptake Among Deaf Adults in the United States: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

“…People increasingly use social networking sites (eg, Facebook, Twitter) and mobile networking sites (eg, Grindr, Tinder) as avenues for sexual health information [16,17]. Several studies reported that adolescents and young adults were most likely to use social media or the internet in general [17], including using them to seek health information [16,18]. One systematic review of studies on communication about HIV prevention and treatment via internet platforms identified online outreach benefits, which included: increased access to information, increased communication among users, and between consumers and professionals, anonymity, community, and geographical reach [19].…”