Social Media Engagement and HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex With Men in China

• In Event: Health Communication and Social Media (High-Density)

Abstract

This study examined the association between social media use and HIV testing among Chinese MSM. Specifically, we investigated whether engagement on social media platforms with content HIV testing information related to actual HIV testing. We conducted an online survey on MSM in eight Chinese cities in July 2016 through Blued, one of the world’s largest gay mobile applications. A total of 2,105 eligible men were included for analysis after deleting duplicates. Multivariate logistic analysis showed that HIV testing social media use was significantly associated with ever HIV testing (aOR = 1.70, 95% CI: 1.31, 2.21) and recent HIV testing (aOR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.34, 2.32). Certain social media design, which is optimized for mobile phone use and includes services for information, entertainment, and finance within a single app, facilitates the merging of online and offline activities and, thus, is particularly conducive to health communication campaigns. Contribution on social media, indicating the adoption of the strength of user-generated content and interactivity of social media, is likely to lead to positive health-related outcomes. This study has implications for policymakers and researchers who intend to use social media in advancing health communication and improving health outcomes.

Authors

• Bolin CAO, Shenzhen U

• Chuncheng Liu, UNC Project-China

• Maya Durvasula, Duke U

• Weiming Tang, UNC Project-China

• Adam J. Saffer, University of North Carolina–Chapel Hill

• Chongyi Wei, U of California - San Francisco

• Joseph Tucker, U of North Carolina - Chapel Hill