Risk and benefits of Internet use among people living with HIV/AIDS in Lima, Peru.
Journal Title: Revista Peruana de Medicina Experimental y Salud Publica - Year 2007, Vol 24, Issue 3
Abstract
[b]Objective: [/b]To evaluate use of the Internet for seeking sex partners and information on HIV and/or sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). [b]Materials and methods:[/b] We interviewed consecutive PLWHA attending at Vía Libre, in Lima, Peru, between May and June 2004. [b]Results: [/b]Of 100 PLWHA, (46 men who had sex with men [MSM], 18 heterosexual men and 36 women), 59% reported using the Internet in the last 12 months. Of these, the majority (73%) accessed the Internet at a public place; 16 (27,1%) reported having gone online to search for sexual partners; and five (8,5%) reported having had sex with a partner found over the Internet. All sex seekers were men, of them a greater percentage were MSM rather than heterosexual (94% vs. 6%, p= 0,032). All five respondents who reported having had sex with a partner found online were MSM. Of those who accessed the Internet in the past year, 76% (47/59) had used it to find information on HIV/AIDS, and 39% (23/59) had used it to seek information on other STIs. [b]Conclusions: [/b]Among PLWHA interviewed more than half reported Internet access. More than a quarter -almost exclusively MSM- had used it to search for sex partners, however, the majority had used the Internet to look for information about HIV/AIDS. These findings suggest that the Internet offers a convenient tool to engage high-risk MSM in online HIV/STI prevention.
Authors and Affiliations
Isaac Alva, Magaly Blas, Patricia García, Robinson Cabello, Ann Kimball, King Holmes
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP144654
- DOI -
- Views 102
- Downloads 0
Follicular conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydia trachomatis: frequency and diagnosis testa
[i]Chlamydia trachomatis [/i]is the principal infectious cause of blindness in the world, which begins as follicular conjunctivitis. In Peru few studies was realized by its difficulty to diagnose. A study was conducted i...
Apreciación estudiantil sobre la capacitación universitaria en investigación: estudio preliminar.
Para identificar la apreciación del estudiante de medicina sobre la formación que recibe por parte de su universidad y el nivel que posee sobre el proceso de investigación, se realizó un estudio en 40 estudiantes as...
Muerte súbita y emergencias cardiovasculares: problemática actual.
La muerte súbita y el paro cardiorrespiratorio tienen mayor relevancia ante un incremento de las enfermedades cardiovasculares. Su manejo incluye la atención prehospitalaria precoz y para ello se requiere del entrenamien...
Incidencia y factores asociados con las reacciones adversas del tratamiento antirretroviral inicial en pacientes con VIH.
La alta incidencia de reacciones adversas medicamentosas (RAMA) al tratamiento antirretroviral de gran actividad (TARGA) en pacientes con VIH/SIDA puede afectar la calidad de vida y adherencia al tratamiento. [b]Objetivo...
Control de los contaminantes químicos en el Perú.
La contaminación del agua, aire, suelo y alimentos es la consecuencia de las actividades que el hombre ha desarrollado para vivir y mejorar su calidad de vida. Sin embargo, el hombre se ha olvidado de vivir en armonía co...