Using Social Media To Increase HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men — Beijing, China, 2013–2017 | MMWR

Using Social Media To Increase HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men — Beijing, China, 2013–2017 | MMWR

Using Social Media To Increase HIV Testing Among Men Who Have Sex with Men — Beijing, China, 2013–2017

Weekly / May 31, 2019 / 68(21);478–482

Liming Wang, MD, PhD1,*; Dylan Podson, MPH1,2,*; Zihuang Chen3; Hongyan Lu, PhD4; Vania Wang, MPH1,5; Colin Shepard, MD1; John K. Williams, MD6; Guodong Mi, MD, PhD3,7 (View author affiliations)

Summary

What is already known about this topic?

Men who have sex with men (MSM) are at higher risk for acquiring human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection and are a difficult subgroup to reach through traditional health care activities.

What is added by this report?

A geolocation-based online HIV testing promotion campaign from China’s largest social media platform oriented to MSM coincided with a steep continuous increase in HIV testing, suggesting the campaign is effective in promoting HIV testing among MSM.

What are the implications for public health practice?

Leveraging social media platforms and their geolocation-based text messaging functionality might be useful in increasing HIV testing among MSM, particularly those aged ≤35 years.