title: Correlation of Internet Use for Health Care Engagement Purposes and HIV Clinical Outcomes Among HIV-Positive Individuals Using Online Social Media.
abstract: The authors aimed to describe cell phone and Internet use and assess the correlation of Internet use for health care engagement purposes and HIV clinical outcomes among HIV-positive individuals. The authors conducted a national survey using online social media to examine cell phone and Internet use, self-reported HIV viral load (detectable vs. undetectable), and antiretroviral adherence rating (excellent vs. less than excellent). Participants (N = 1,494) were asked about their Internet use for health care engagement purposes (including e-mailing health care providers, refilling medications online, and making medical appointments online). Approximately 95% of participants accessed the Internet nearly daily or daily in the past month (mean hours on Internet use per day = 5.2) and 55.5% used the Internet for health care engagement purposes. Those who used the Internet for any health care engagement purposes had a 1.52-fold odds of reporting an undetectable viral load (p = .009) and a 1.49-fold odds of reporting excellent adherence (p = .001). Although Internet access and use were similar across racial/ethnic, educational, and socioeconomic groups, disparities existed with the use of the Internet for health care engagement purposes among racial/ethnic minorities, those with low to moderate financial stability, lower education, and history of incarceration. The authors' data reveal that among HIV-positive users of online social media, use of the Internet for health care engagement purposes is associated with better self-reported virologic and adherence outcomes.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Medicine , University of California , San Francisco , California , USA.
authors.forename: Parya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Saberi
authors.forename: Mallory O
authors.initials: MO
authors.lastname: Johnson
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000523:psychology*; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010817:Physician-Patient Relations; D057566:Self Report; D061108:Social Media / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D019562:Viral Load / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D016903:Drug Monitoring
chemical_list: D044966:Anti-Retroviral Agents