P2-S8.04 GYT (Get Yourself Tested) campaign: getting young people talking and tested and sparking a social movement

Use of social media for sexual health promotion: a scoping review

BACKGROUND

In order to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), the World Health Organization recommends educating people on sexual health. With more than 2 billion active users worldwide, online social media potentially represent powerful channels for health promotion, including sexual health.

OBJECTIVE

To review the scientific literature on the use of online social media for sexual health promotion.

DESIGN

A search was conducted of scientific and medical databases, and grey literature was also included. The selected publications were classified according to their study designs, sexual health promotion main subject, target audience age, and social media use.

RESULTS

Fifty-one publications were included; 4 publications presenting randomized intervention studies, 39 non-randomized intervention studies, and 8 observational studies. In 29 publications (56.9%), the main subject of the sexual health promotion was 'general' or to increase STI testing. Thirty publications (58.8%) specifically focused on youth or young people (aged 11-29 years). Fourteen publications that used social media either as unique channels for sexual health promotion interventions or as a tool supporting the sexual health promotion reported an effect on behavior (27%), and two of those studies found a reduction in the number of positive chlamydia and gonorrhea cases linked to social media intervention. Forty-four publications (86.3%) involved Facebook in some way.

CONCLUSIONS

Although billions of people worldwide actively use social media, we identified only 51 publications on the use of social media for promoting sexual health. About a quarter of the publications have identified promising results, and the evidence for positive effects of social media interventions for promoting sexual health is increasing. There is a need for more studies that explicitly discuss their theoretical framework, and that have strong research designs, in order to further increase the evidence base of the field.

Ethnic Comparisons in HIV Testing Attitudes, HIV Testing, and Predictors of HIV Testing Among Black and White College Students

OBJECTIVES

This study's primary aim was to examine ethnic differences in predictors of HIV testing among Black and White college students. We also examined ethnic differences in sexual risk behaviors and attitudes toward the importance of HIV testing.

PARTICIPANTS/METHOD

An analytic sample of 126 Black and 617 White undergraduatestudents aged 18-24 were analyzed for a subset of responses on the American College Health Association-National College Health Assessment II (ACHA-NCHA II) (2012) pertaining to HIV testing, attitudes about the importance of HIV testing, and sexual risk behaviors. Predictors of HIV testing behavior were analyzed using logistic regression. t tests and chi-square tests were performed to access differences in HIV test history, testing attitudes, and sexual risk behaviors.

RESULTS

Black students had more positive attitudes toward testing and were more likely to have been tested for HIV compared to White students. A greater number of sexual partners and more positive HIV testing attitudes were significant predictors of HIV testing among White students, whereas relationship status predicted testing among Black students. Older age and history of ever having sex were significant predictors of HIV testing for both groups. There were no significant differences between groups in number of sexual partners or self-reports in history of sexual experience (oral, vaginal, or anal).

CONCLUSIONS

Factors that influence HIV testing may differ across racial/ethnic groups. Findings support the need to consider racial/ethnic differences in predictors of HIV testing during the development and tailoring of HIV testing prevention initiatives targeting college students.

Reaching Youth With Sexually Transmitted Disease Testing: Building on Successes, Challenges, and Lessons Learned From Local Get Yourself Tested Campaigns

Nine programs were funded across eight states in the United States to customize, implement, and evaluate local campaigns in support of the national Get Yourself Tested (GYT) campaign. Each program promoted chlamydia screening and treatment/referral to sexually active young women (aged 15-25 years) and their partners through accessible, free, or low-cost services. This article documents the strategies and outcomes of these local GYT campaigns, highlighting the diversity in which a national sexual health campaign is implemented at the local level and identifying challenges and successes. Nearly all (n = 7) programs involved target audience members in campaign development/implementation. Youth were linked to free or low-cost sexually transmitted disease testing through community centers, high schools and colleges, community and clinic events; online or text-based ordering of test kits; and community pickup locations. Sites used a combination of traditional and new media, on-the-ground activities, promotional products, and educational and social events to promote testing. With the exception of one site, all sites reported increases in the number of persons tested for chlamydia during campaign implementation, compared to baseline. Increases ranged from 0.5% to 128%. Successes included development of local partnerships, infrastructure, and capacity; use of peer leaders and involvement; and opportunities to explore new innovations. Challenges included use of social media/new technologies, timing constraints, limited organizational and evaluation capacity, and unforeseen delays/setbacks. Each of these issues is explored, along with lessons learned, with intent to inform future sexual health promotion efforts.