When the XIX International AIDS Conference drew to a close, #AIDS2012 had been tweeted 85,608 times over the course of the six-day conference – a ten-fold increase over AIDS 2010. With free WiFi available throughout the convention center, the increasing role of new media in health communications, and conference delegates making ample use of smartphones and tablet computers, Twitter took off.

The number of daily tweets peaked at over 20,000 on Monday, the first full day of the conference, which featured many high-profile speakers and sessions. The subjects of the tweets spanned a wide range of topics, with many from institutional and organizational tweeters disseminating information about their activities, research, and perspectives.

The conference communications team first used Twitter in 2010, and it is now an important tool for the conference secretariat to disseminate information. In 2010, the conference communication team tweeted 411 times and had just over 2,400 followers. In 2012 the conference communications team sent 784 tweets and had 5,065 followers (50% signed on after the conference started as news and tweets picked up).

The communications team used Twitter to get word out about new resources, such as newsmaker interviews on the YouTube channel and live and recorded webcasts , important news stories, reminders about notable speakers and Global Village activities, logistical or programmatic updates and changes, and conference initiatives such as the Washington, D.C. Declaration and the Turning the Tide Together photo campaign . Because live tweeting of speeches is staff intensive, we limited it this year to the Opening and Closing Sessions and Secretary Clinton’s speech. The live tweeting had steady numbers of retweets and also resulted in many new followers.

The widespread use of mobile technology, as demonstrated by the popularity of the conference’s mobile app introduced for AIDS 2012, likely played an important role in the number of #AIDS2012 tweets. The app, featuring a regularly updated conference programme, interactive venue map, an #AIDS2012 Twitter feed and more, was downloaded 14,475 times. For those who really like numbers, there were 8,158 downloads on iPhones, 4,993 on iPads, and 1,324 on Androids.

If you tweeted or followed tweets during the conference, we would appreciate comments on how you used Twitter to gather and/or disseminate information before, during and after the conference.

It was very exciting to see the presence of a number of social media and mobile sessions at the XIX International Conference on AIDS (AIDS 2012 ) last week in Washington, DC. Patricia Mechael (@PattyMechael), one of the presenters at those sessions, noted that HIV/AIDS was one of the first areas to leverage mobile technology in the global health space; thus it is our duty to continue this and to influence others. In the session, Utilization of Social Media and Web 2.0 to Advance the Human Rights of Young People and Adolescents , Hugh Stephens (@hughstephens) reminded us that it is critical to keep abreast of emerging technologies as avenues for helping us reach our goal of an AIDS-free generation.

Crowd Out AIDS

Social and Crowd Sourced
There were many sessions that highlighted how social media and/or mobile technologies are instrumental in the response to HIV/AIDS in different settings. During the session Strengthening the Global HIV Response Through Social Media , Aram Barra (@arambarra) from Mexico talked about Crowd Out AIDS (@CrowdOutAIDS), an online social collaboration platform developed with UNAIDS that maximizes the potential for young people’s participation and leadership in the AIDS response and serves as the hub for all UNAIDS youth-related activities.The platform takes advantage of crowd sourcing which gathers information from the general public about current events, products and retail establishments. For example, if a natural disaster strikes an area, locals often capture and upload images before a professional news crew arrives. Crowd Out AIDS features include CrowdMap , a global geo-location database of youth activists and organizations, as well as a forum, a blog and a wiki all built around engaging youth. It was refreshing to see a collaborative platform designed specifically for young HIV/AIDS leaders.

An example demonstrating the use of crowd sourcing is Declaration for Change (#dec4change). Young people from around the world used a Codigital platform to develop a list of priorities and a declaration for change for the AIDS response aimed at achieving an AIDS-free generation. Youth contributed new ideas, proposed edits or revisions to each other’s suggestions, and voted on ideas of how young people will achieve an AIDS-free generation.

Text to Change

Easy Global Usage with Big Impact
“Simple in concept, powerful in results” is the description given by Uganda’s Eunice Gnay Namirembe, Program Manager of Text to Change (TTC), an easily scalable platform used to send out and receive text messages, multimedia messages, voice, and data to educate, engage, and empower people on health and well-being. Using mobile phones on a large scale for social purposes, TTC has been used to provide HIV-related information, such as personalized adherence reminders to improve treatment outcomes and interactive quizzes. The tool can also be used for data collection surveys. By focusing on the end-user through provision of local content and software, TTC has had great success. Ms. Namirembe also observed that despite the growing number of smartphones in the world, people in rural areas in developing countries can best be reached by text messaging, which is (and may remain for awhile) the most widely-used data application in the world. So, finding effective methods of working toward important health goals through mobile devices makes the most sense.

Innovative Approaches
Among the innovations I saw featured was the mobile microscope, which could soon be used to improve HIV care delivery in the developing world. Dr. Aydogan Ozcan, a recipient of the NIH Director’s New Innovator Award and head of UCLA’s Ozcan Research Group , demonstrated LUCAS, an attachment for mobile phones that acts as a microscope, except without lenses. Using hardware that costs less than $10, these mobile microscopes are able to use the shadows of cells to detect illnesses. For the HIV community, Dr. Ozcan talked about their work on a mobile phone attachment that could be used for CD4 counting, logging the results in a database, and texting the results at a minimal cost. This could dramatically improve the availability of CD4 counts and other lab work in the developing world where access to labs and timely results can be a challenge, particularly in rural areas. It could also be used for digital diagnosis and rapid testing of Malaria and other diseases. Different versions of Ozcan’s mobile phone attachments could help diagnose patients and provide better opportunities for care.

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also announced during an AIDS 2012 plenary session that HHS is working in partnership with the MAC AIDS Fund to pilot UCARE4LIFE. The pilot will use mobile phone texting to provide important tips and reminders about disease management to people living with HIV.

There were many other presentations about new media and mobile technology during the conference. The take-away here is that as we continue toward our goal of an AIDS-free generation, we need to remember to leverage all that the digital world now offers to help us efficiently and effectively act.

L-R: Miguel Gomez, Michelle Samplin-Salgado, Todd Park, Deron Perkins, Venton Jones, Ken Williams, Eunice Gnay Namirembe, Oriol Gutierrez, Ingrid Floyd, Susannah Fox

On Monday, July 23, AIDS.gov hosted a satellite session at AIDS 2012 on the State of New Media and HIV. During the session we heard how new media is changing the response to HIV, allowing individuals and programs to engage others and create conversations and dialogues to further HIV prevention and treatment goals. At the end of the session, with almost 200 delegates in the room and nearly 500 people watching on Facebook and Livestream (watch a recording of the session ), participants recited the following declaration:

“We call upon the HIV community to declare that new media and emerging technologies are critical in helping us connect, create, listen, learn, and engage as we move towards and AIDS-free generation.”

Todd Park , Chief Technology Officer for the White House, kicked off the session by describing how, two months ago, President Obama released the U.S. Digital Government Strategy. He noted that exactly two years and ten days ago the President also released the U.S. National HIV/AIDS Strategy. In his remarks, Mr. Park said, “I’m convinced these two Strategies have a synergy that really can make a difference in people’s lives. They are roadmaps to ensure positive response to the needs of all Americans, and we hope a useful tool to our colleagues outside the U.S.”

In the introduction to the new Digital Government Strategy, President Obama states, “I want us to ask ourselves every day, how are we using technology to make a real difference in people’s lives?” Todd added, “That’s why we’re here. To make a difference in people’s lives…to make a difference as we move towards an AIDS-free generation.”

Panelists each shared how they are using new media to strengthen their respective actions on HIV/AIDS.

It’s never too late to learn
Susannah Fox of the Pew Internet & American Life Project  cited statistics that 1 in 4 people living with a chronic health condition connect with peers via social networks. She highlighted how engagement leads to better health outcomes. New media can be that platform. Susannah shared the story of her bright and curious grandmother, who when seeing the internet for the first time towards the end of her life, responded with discouragement, “I was born too late.” In fact, she quickly learned that she could connect with others, and even into her mid-90’s, participated in online communities. Susannah said, “we all have something to learn and we all have something to teach.”

Eunice Namirembe from Uganda, who manages the initiative Text to Change , talked about the simplicity and power of mobile text messaging to drive people to get tested and change their behavior. In Uganda, 15,000 text messages encouraging HIV testing yielded a 20% response rate. As those who responded to the text waited in line to be tested, a community was built; an overwhelming response to a simple text message.

Why it’s important to listen
Ingrid Floyd of Iris House spoke about using social media to listen and using platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to interject messages related to HIV prevention into online interactions. She emphasized the importance of listening before engaging and of using events and pop culture references to inspire conversations about safer sex and HIV prevention.

Connect and engage
Venton Jones of the National Black Gay Men’s Advocacy Coalition described his experience growing up as a child of the digital generation. He noted how each step in his life has been marked by a change in technology, and described the importance of  disclose his own HIV status. By sharing his status online, Venton helps gives a face to HIV/AIDS, creating a space for broader conversations about stigma and disclosure. Following Venton’s presentation, an audience member shared his own story about disclosing his HIV status on Facebook. It was a testimony to the power of new media to connect people.

Oriol Gutierrez of POZ has lived as a digital pioneer, using new media and building a collection of best practices around video, blogging, and social media. “New media allows me to share my story,” Oriol said. Consistency builds community, he said, regardless of how you share your message. Each platform requires a specific skill set and approach, but consistency over time is a key discipline.

The power of video and the spoken word
The session began and ended with creative expressions using new media to educate and inform. Deron Perkins of Real Talk DC , a project of Metro Teen AIDS , set the tone of the session with an eloquent and energetic spoken word in which he referred to AIDS as the “DC Viper”, striking far too many people living in Washington, DC. Deron uses social media as a platform to engage with DC youth, thereby raising awareness of HIV risk in the city.

Ken Williams of the Test Positive Awareness Network and Ken like Barbie created a video for the satellite, which described how he has used new media (specifically YouTube) to share his story of living with HIV.

AIDS.gov Director Miguel Gomez closed the meeting by highlighting the increased use of new media by the HIV community. He highlighted the importance of educating our colleagues about the power of new media as we move towards and AIDS-free generation. Miguel ended by saying, “We have the tools, we have the stories, and we are building the evidence to create that change.”

AIDS.gov would like to thank the Satellite Session Planning Committee for their time in helping us plan The State of New Media and HIV: Krisha Stone at Gay Men’s Health Crisis , Deb Levine and Bhupendra Sheoran at ISIS , Raul Posas at Metro TeenAIDS , Oriol Guitierrez at POZ , James Loduca from the San Francisco AIDS Foundation , and the National Minority AIDS Council .

How are you using new media to connect, create, engage, listen, and learn?

Facing AIDS App

Adding your photo to the Facing AIDS initiative just became easier. We are pleased to announce that Facing AIDS iPhone/iPad app is now available on the iTunes App Store.

The app makes it easier than ever to help put a face to  to the epidemic. After downloading the app, you can complete the entire process of adding photos to the site from your iPhone or iPad in a few simple steps.

1. Take a picture with your iPhone or select one from your photo gallery
2. Select and customize your own Facing AIDS sign describing how your are Facing AIDS
3. That’s it!

Your photo is then uploaded to the Facing.AIDS.gov site and you have the option of sharing it on Facebook and Twitter. In a matter of minutes a photo can be taken, annotated, uploaded and shared. If you are an Android or other smartphone user, you can still upload photos from your mobile device using the Facing.AIDS.gov site.

Facing AIDS was launched for World AIDS Day in 2008 to raise awareness and reduce the stigma associated with HIV/AIDS.  According to the National HIV/AIDS Strategy, “The stigma associated with HIV remains extremely high and fear of discrimination causes some Americans to avoid learning their HIV status, disclosing their status, or accessing medical care.”

If you’re at AIDS 2012 , stop by the CDC NPIN Booth (#43) to participate in Facing AIDS and their new campaign Let’s Stop HIV Together.

The world’s largest and most important HIV-related scientific meeting is less than a week away. AIDS 2012 will bring together over 25,000 delegates (including 2,500 registered media representatives) for a week of scientific discussions and dialogue between and among scientists, healthcare providers, HIV/AIDS service organizations, advocacy groups, people living with HIV, and many others. It is an unparalleled opportunity to promote the use of new media and emerging technologies for public health messaging. If you’re attending the conference, here are some of the new media activities at this years conference. If you’re not able to attend, follow #AIDS2012 and visit AIDS.gov/AIDS2012 to stay up to date, view updates, and access Kaiser’s live webcasts:

(Note all times are listed are U.S. Eastern Standard Time).

Sunday, July 22

• 12:00 pm
  Tweetup (Youth Pavilion, Global Village)
  Thanks to the support of the conference organizers, there will be a tweetup for people already tweeting, or wanting to tweet, to meet each other, share best practices and  exchange Twitter handles. You do not have to be registered for the conference to attend the Tweetup, but you will have to use the entrance 9th Street NW entrance at M Street to enter the building. Since the Global Village does not open until later on Sunday, a staff member will need to escort all participants. Gather at the entrance to Hall B on the concourse level to be escorted to the Tweetup

Monday, July 23

• 7:00 am to 8:30 am
  Satellite Session: Using Mobile Technologies to Eliminate Pediatric HIV 
  (Mini Room 3)
• 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm
  Workshop: Speak Up! How to Go Viral… Safely: HIV-positive Women and Advocates Using the Media for Change Community Skills Development   (Mini Room 4)
• 3:00pm  to 4:30 pm E
  Global Village Workshop: Communicating Complex Science in 140 Characters: Social Media and the HIV Prevention Research Field (Global Village Session Room 2)
• 6:30pm to  8:30 pm
  Satellite Session: The State of New Media and HIV (Mini Room 4)

Tuesday, July 24

• 4:00 pm to 5:30 pm
  Presentation: Strengthening the Global HIV Response Through Social Media: Moving Beyond the Tweets (GV Session Room 2)
• 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
  Satellite Session: Mobile Technologies for HIV Identification, Prevention and Treatment (Mini Room 10)

Wednesday, July 25

• 7:00 am to 8:30 am
  Satellite Session: mHealth 101: An Introduction to Mobile Technologies for HIV/AIDS Programs  (Mini Room 1)
• 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm
  Scientific Skills Development: Information and Communication Technologies, Social Media and M-Health for Care Treatment and Comprehensive Management of HIV (Mini Room 6)
• 2:30 pm to 6:00 pm
  Workshop: Showcasing the Potential and Role of Mobile Technology in Turning the Tide on HIV and Other Diseases (Mini Room 2)
• 4:30 pm to 6:00 pm
  Oral Abstract Session, Track E: Will Mobile Technology ‘Do It’?  (Session Room 7)

Thursday, July 26

• 11:00 am to 12:30 pm
  Community Skills Development: The Utilization of Social Media and Web 2.0 to Advance the Human Rights of Young People and Adolescents (Mini Room 8 )

Did we miss anything? If so, please let us know!

Ingrid Floyd

This year’s International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) will mark a historic time in the fight against HIV given that we have seen such improvements in treatment and prevention approaches nationally and globally over the past year. Also, given the location in Washington D.C., there are many opportunities to have a large U.S. presence and to have the voices of Americans living with HIV heard. I am really excited to be attending this year’s conference to learn from other countries, NGOs and consumers and to hear what is working and what the remaining challenges are.

Often when we have visitors come to Iris House from other countries, they are amazed about the service offerings at our agency and the availability of services across New York. They tell stories of the hardship they face to get people necessary medications and ensure they have a safe place to store and take the medications. We often hear how women are abused once they have disclosed and how they work to empower women to be able to negotiate or give them tools such as female condoms when they can’t.

I always think after hearing these stories that these are some of the same struggles we face in working with women just on a different scale. Our women often are unable to negotiate safer sex due to unstable housing, lack of employment and factors that lead to dependency on others that cause them to feel helpless and vulnerable. They often don’t take medications due to stigma and lack of disclosure to their family members. So I’m energized to attend AIDS 2012 to share stories with other NGOs serving women and to swap successes and ideas that we can all implement.

I am also excited about the opportunity to present on “The State of New Media and HIV” at a satellite session hosted by AIDS.gov. New media such as Facebook , Twitter, YouTube, and mobile have really expanded the reach of our work beyond our doors and our communities. These tools have allowed us to reach women and men, young and old, in a way that would never be possible given limited resources. People now interact with Iris House online who would never see our work in action. They are able to ask questions, get connected to resources and join a community that would never judge them because of their status. This session on new media will allow participants to see real examples of how they can implement the tools in an effective way to enhance their missions and expand their reach. I hope you will join us and bring your examples and enthusiasm to this session and to all of the activities surrounding AIDS 2012.

Francisco Ruiz

In less than a month, the world will come to the nation’s capital to discuss the latest scientific advances from around the world and to develop strategies for advancing all facets of our collective efforts to address the HIV/AIDS pandemic. The XIX International AIDS Conference (AIDS 2012) returns to the United States. And numerous Latino/Hispanic partners are working to highlight key HIV/AIDS issues impacting Latino/Hispanic communities at the conference thanks to the work of the National Latino AIDS Action Network (NLAAN).

As the fastest growing and youngest racial and ethnic group in the U.S., it is imperative that AIDS 2012 addresses the distinct needs of the diverse and dynamic Latino/Hispanic communities in the U.S. and its dependent areas. The biennial conference provides a great opportunity to re-energize the response to the domestic epidemic and focus attention on the particularly devastated populations, among them Latino/Hispanic communities.  The impact and challenges of HIV/AIDS in Latino/Hispanic communities are well documented:

• In 2009, Latino men who have sex with men (MSM) accounted for 81% of new HIV infections among all Latino men and 20% among all MSM. Among Latino MSM, 45% of new HIV infections occurred in those under age 30 (CDC: August 2011).
• Latinas’ HIV incidence rate is more than four times the rate for white women (CDC: November 2011).
• Among those who are HIV positive, CDC data indicate that over a third of Latinos (36%) were tested for HIV late in their illness; by comparison, 31% of Blacks and 32% of whites were tested late (CDC: March 2012).
• In 2010, three in ten Latinos/Hispanics (30.7%) were uninsured; by comparison, 20.8% of Blacks, 18.1% of Asians, and 11.7 % for non-Hispanic whites (HHS: September 2011).

With such alarming new HIV infection rates and health care access challenges, Latinos/Hispanics must be well-informed about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the U.S., right? Not exactly. A report by the Kaiser Family Foundation further underscores some of the challenges HIV/AIDS providers and advocates face in reaching Latino/Hispanic communities when it comes to HIV/AIDS (Kaiser Family Foundation : June 2011).

• In 2004, 74 percent of Latinos/Hispanics reported seeing, hearing, or reading at least something about the HIV/AIDS epidemic in the previous year, a figure that declined to 54 percent in 2009 and 43 percent today.
• Latinos/Hispanics express a level of concern about contracting HIV that is somewhat higher than whites (27 percent vs. 11 percent say they are “very concerned”), but lower than that expressed by Blacks (40 percent).
• Latinos/Hispanic are somewhat more likely than whites and Blacks to express attitudes that may stigmatize people living with HIV.

In a time where we can truly Turn the Tide on the epidemic with new advances in HIV research, this is simply unacceptable.  AIDS 2012 must serve as a call to ensure that the conference has a deep and lasting impact in the U.S. among Latino/Hispanic communities and all other impacted populations.

NLAAN, in partnership with several organizations, is working to make sure that Latino/Hispanic and Caribbean leaders are present and engaged in the week-long discourse. NLAAN is working with leaders in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean to host a series of activities and events before, during and after AIDS 2012.  The goal of these activities and events is to build a regional wave of solidarity among community leaders from around the globe. Puentes Entre Vecinos: Bridges Between Neighbors is our theme for AIDS 2012.  The theme suggests interconnection, harmony, unity, and solidarity across HIV stakeholders from around the world.

In the spirit of the theme, the Embajadores [Ambassadors] Program is designed to identify, mobilize, and support the next generation of Latino/Hispanic leaders in the field of HIV/AIDS, over 20 in total at AIDS 2012 from all ten regions of the U.S. The program will provide a platform for knowledge and cultural exchanges among Latino/Hispanic leaders, with the aim of yielding long-term benefits—whether they promote best practices in the field of HIV/AIDS, promote local responses to HIV/AIDS, build national/international relationships, and enhance cultural understanding. Throughout the conference, Embajadores will be blogging (in English, Spanish and Portuguese) on a range of topics based on the scientific tracks of the conference and on activities that will be taking place in the Global Village and around Washington, DC.  In addition to blogs, Embajadores will make all the information relevant to their everyday lives by organizing a conference hub in their respective communities.

We are also working with partners to host the Latino/Hispanic HIV Community Research Forum: Creando Una Red Para Un Futuro Sin VIH/SIDA taking place on Sunday, July 22 from 8:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m. at the Renaissance Hotel .  The forum will be a vehicle for Latino-centered dialogue and networking by key representatives from domestic HIV-serving organizations, community-focused researchers, and representatives from local, national, and international entities.  The forum is free and open to the public. Registration is required and closes at 5:00 p.m. EDT on Monday, July 2, 2012.

For those looking for more free activities throughout the week, the Latino Caribbean Diaspora Collaborative (LCDC) Networking Zone in the Global Village will showcase HIV/AIDS programs across the Caribbean, Central American, Mexico, South America, and the United States. As an interactive installation, it will provide educational, linguistic, cultural, social, scientific, and networking opportunities for attendees from around the world. Over 60 panel and roundtable discussions will be featured on a range of topics, including: aging, harm reduction, human rights, masculinity, biomedical interventions, transgender wellness and treatment, women, and immigrant populations.  The space will also feature a series of videos from the region, youth activities and cultural displays.

As part of the AIDS 2012 Brown Bag Webinar Series , a webinar titled Roadmap and Updates for AIDS 2012 , is scheduled for Thursday, July 12, 2012 from 12:00-1:00 p.m. ET, featuring conference organizers who will provide updates on all the exciting activities and events planned in and around Washington, DC for AIDS 2012.  NLAAN members will provide information related to the Latino/Hispanic Research Forum, LCDC activities and conference guidebook – Nuestra Guía: Latino/Hispanic and Caribbean Guidebook for AIDS 2012.  The guidebook will provide orientation for Latino/Hispanic and Caribbean communities on key sessions, satellites, and events taking place during AIDS 2012.

To learn more about our efforts, please go towww.NLAAN.org/AIDS2012 .

We sent our first tweet in on August, 2008 from the International AIDS Conference in Mexico City. Four years and 3,265 tweets later, we are gearing up for yet another International AIDS Conference. At this year’s conference, we will be hosting a satellite session titled “The State of New Media and HIV.” During the session, panelists will reinforce the reasons why it is essential to assess how new media can extend the reach of your work. Together, we will call for a declaration for the HIV community to use new media to move us towards an AIDS-free generation.

We’ve been working with a planning committee of representatives from the Gay Men’s Health Crisis ; ISIS, Inc.[external-link]; Metro Teen AIDS ; POZ Magazine , and the San Francisco AIDS Foundation to develop an agenda that will demonstrate how HIV/AIDS organizations can and are using social media and other emerging technologies to extend the reach of their programs

Todd Park, White House Chief Technology Officer, will moderate the session. Participants will hear from a panel of speakers on new media and HIV research, policies, and programs aimed at preventing and treating HIV. Confirmed speakers include Oriol Gutierrez, Deputy Editor of POZ Magazine ; (an official AIDS 2012 media sponsor); Ingrid Floyd, Executive Director of Iris House ; Venton Jones, Communications and Education manager of the National Black Gay Men’s  Advocacy Coalition ; and Susannah Fox, Associate Director of Digital Strategy at the Pew Internet & American Life Project . Susannah will discuss the Pew Internet Project’s latest data on social media use in the U.S. We’ll be announcing additional speakers in the next few weeks.

To help us get ready, the National Minority AIDS Council (NMAC)  has developed a survey to better understand how the HIV community is using new media. Whether your organization has a social media presence or not, your input is important! Please take a few minutes to respond to the survey .

New media has come a long way in the HIV community! If you are planning to attend the conference, we hope you will join us. And if you’re not able to attend in person, we encourage you to use new media tools to let us know how you’re using new media to extend the reach of your programs. Ask us questions and participate in the discussion leading up to and during the satellite session. We’ll be using the hashtags #AIDS2012 and #newmediaHIV.