Making Choices: A Strategic Approach to New Media (Part I)

By David Galiel, AIDS.gov Advisor

In this blog, we explore a wide array of new media tools and technologies, and how they can be used in response to HIV/AIDS. From wikis to webinars, video-sharing to virtual worlds, texting to Twitter, the possibilities seem endless, and the next “new thing” is just around the corner. Often, the challenge we face is not the availability of options - it is how to choose. In this occasional strategy series, we explore ways to develop an effective new media plan that considers available resources, integrates with existing services, and uses the right tools for the job.

HIV Vaccine Regimen Demonstrates Modest Preventive Effect in Thailand Clinical Study

By Kathy Stover, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, NIH

In an encouraging development, an investigational vaccine regimen has been shown to be well-tolerated and to have a modest effect in preventing HIV infection in a clinical trial involving more than 16,000 adult participants in Thailand. Following a final analysis of the trial data, the Surgeon General of the U.S. Army, the trial sponsor, announced today that the prime-boost investigational vaccine regimen was safe and 31 percent effective in preventing HIV infection.

“These new findings represent an important step forward in HIV vaccine research,” says Anthony S. Fauci, M.D., director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), part of the NIH, which provided major funding and other support for the study. “For the first time, an investigational HIV vaccine has demonstrated some ability to prevent HIV infection among vaccinated individuals. Additional research is needed to better understand how this vaccine regimen reduced the risk of HIV infection, but certainly this is an encouraging advance for the HIV vaccine field.”

To learn more, read the full press release and www.hivresearch.org for more information about the Thai Phase III HIV vaccine trial.

National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day and the Internet

By Miguel Gomez

Understanding how gay and bisexual men are using the Internet and its impact on HIV transmission, testing, and care is critical. Sunday, September 27, is National Gay Men's HIV/AIDS Awareness Day (NGMHAAD), which National Association of People with AIDS (NAPWA) and its partners originated and sponsor. NAPWA is using the Internet to support this day which was launched in 2008 in response to the increasing rates of HIV among gay and bisexual men. Here are some comments from Tom Kujawski, NAPWA’s Vice President of Development about the day:

Tom Kujawski, NAPWA’s Vice President of Development

“

Gay and bisexual men, particularly young men and men of color, continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV and AIDS in the US. NGMHAAD calls upon the nation to respond collectively to the HIV crisis facing gay and bisexual men. NGMHAAD works to encourage gay and bisexual men to get tested; to illustrate how communities, including corporate and elected officials, care about the well-being of gay and bisexual men; and to raise awareness about the severity of the HIV/AIDS epidemic among gay and bisexual men.”

“We hypothesize that gay men generally use three primary types of new (online) media: a) Mainstream: This category includes major publications (national newspapers/monthlies), blogs and social networking (e.g. Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc.); b) LGBT-focused: This category is mainly gay blogs and sites (e.g. Towleroad, gay.com, Andrew Sullivan); and c) Dating & Sex Sites.

Widgets in Action

By Miguel Gomez

The New York State AIDS Institute created a widget to link over 200 New York emergency room departments to HIV/AIDS information . Doctors can use this “one-stop shop” approach to better assess and treat patients exposed to HIV. Since widgets continually update with the most current medical recommendations, they can be both efficient and effective in clinical settings, such as emergency rooms.

We're excited to see innovative new media tools being used for HIV/AIDS treatment and care. Check out the New York Times article about this widget, complete with interviews with the the creators.

"HIV over 50: Get Educated, Get Tested!"

By Deb LeBel

We often hear that only young people are spending time online, but data shows that more and more people over 50 are also spending time online. The Pew Internet & American Life Project provides a picture of how people aged 50 and older are using new media and how they use it to find health information:

• 45% of 70-75 year olds are online – and over the past three years they've had the biggest increase of any age group, and
• 54% of 50-64 year olds look for specific medical treatment information online .

From ChangeWave.com , we know that:

• “Baby Boomers” – people age 45-63 – now spend more time in non-work related activities online (12.9 hr/wk) than they do watching TV (11.8 hr/wk) ,
• 57% of Boomers have LinkedIn profiles – but, more surprisingly, 55% have Facebook profiles , and
• The latest Facebook statistics reveal that there was a 513% growth in users age 55+ over the past six months alone. And, during that same six months, the percentage of total Facebook users age 24 and under declined from 54.3% to 34.9% .