Stop the drama Downunder: a social marketing campaign increases HIV/sexually transmitted infection knowledge and testing in Australian gay men.
BACKGROUND
Since 2000, notifications of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs) have increased significantly in Australian gay men. We evaluated the impact of a social marketing campaign in 2008-2009 aimed to increase health-seeking behavior and STI testing and enhance HIV/STI knowledge in gay men.


METHODS
A convenience sample of 295 gay men (18-66 years of age) was surveyed to evaluate the effectiveness of the campaign. Participants were asked about campaign awareness, HIV/STI knowledge, health-seeking behavior, and HIV/STI testing. We examined associations between recent STI testing and campaign awareness. Trends in HIV/STI monthly tests at 3 clinics with a high case load of gay men were also assessed. Logistic and Poisson regressions and χ tests were used.


RESULTS
Both unaided (43%) and aided (86%) campaign awareness was high. In a multivariable logistic regression, awareness of the campaign (aided) was independently associated with having had any STI test within the past 6 months (prevalence ratio = 1.5; 95% confidence interval = 1.0-2.4. Compared with the 13 months before the campaign, clinic data showed significant increasing testing rates for HIV, syphilis, and chlamydia among HIV-negative gay men during the initial and continued campaign periods.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings suggest that the campaign was successful in achieving its aims of increasing health-seeking behavior, STI testing, and HIV/STI knowledge among gay men in Victoria.
Centre for Population Health, Burnet Institute, Melbourne, Australia. alisa@burnet.edu.au
Alisa
A
Pedrana
Margaret
M
Hellard
Rebecca
R
Guy
Carol
C
El-Hayek
Maelenn
M
Gouillou
Jason
J
Asselin
Colin
C
Batrouney
Phuong
P
Nguyen
Mark
M
Stoovè
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D001364:Awareness; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D015397:Program Evaluation; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D040241:Social Marketing; D013587:Syphilis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D055815:Young Adult