title: Online social networking for HIV education and prevention: a mixed-methods analysis.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The purpose of this study is to use mixed (qualitative/quantitative) methods to determine (1) the feasibility and acceptability of using online social networking to facilitate HIV-related discussions and (2) the relationship between HIV-related online discussions and requests for a home-based HIV testing kit among men who have sex with men.
  
  
  METHODS
  Participants, primarily African American and Latino, were invited to join a "secret" group on the social networking Web site, Facebook. Peer leaders, trained in HIV prevention, posted HIV-related content. Participants were not obligated to respond to discussions or remain within the group. Participant public group conversations were qualitatively and thematically analyzed. Quantitative methods tested associations between qualitative data, participants' demographic information, and likelihood of requesting a home-based HIV testing kit.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Latino and African American participants (n = 57) voluntarily used Facebook to discuss the following HIV-related topics (n = 485 conversations): prevention and testing, knowledge, stigma, and advocacy. Older participants more frequently discussed prevention and testing, stigma, and advocacy, although younger participants more frequently discussed HIV knowledge-related conversations. As the study progressed, the proportion of messages related to prevention and testing and HIV stigma increased. Multivariate analysis showed that participants posting about HIV prevention and testing (compared with those who did not) were significantly more likely to request an HIV testing kit (odds ratio, 11.14; P = 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Facebook can serve as an innovative forum to increase both HIV prevention discussions and HIV testing requests among at-risk groups.
authors: Department of Family Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, CA, USA. sdyoung@mednet.ucla.edu
authors: Sean D
authors: SD
authors: Young
authors: Devan
authors: D
authors: Jaganath
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D010379:Peer Group; D060756:Social Networking; D057545:Social Stigma