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Guo Z, Feng A, Zhou Y, Gao Y, Sun Y, Chen Y, Zhou X, Zou H. Geosocial networking mobile applications use and HIV and other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men in Southern China: A cross-sectional study. Front Public Health 2023; 11:1063993. [PMID: 36844866 PMCID: PMC9944389 DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1063993] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/07/2022] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 02/10/2023] Open
Abstract
Introduction Men who have sex with men (MSM) are increasingly using geosocial networking (GSN) mobile applications (apps) to socialize in the community. Our study aimed to compare sexual behaviors between app-using MSM (app users) and non-app-using MSM (non-app users), and evaluate the association between app use and sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Methods Eligible MSM were recruited from January to August 2017 in three metropolitan cities: Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuxi. A self-completed tablet-based questionnaire was collected about socio-demographic characteristics, sexual behaviors and app use. Blood samples were collected to test for HIV and syphilis. Rectal swabs taken by nurses and urine samples taken by participants themselves were collected to test for gonorrhea and chlamydia. Anogenital warts were checked by a clinician. Chi square tests and logistic regression were used to compare the prevalence of STIs and the characteristics between app users and non-app users. Results A total of 572 MSM were included in our analysis, 59.9, 25.7, and 23.4% MSM were recruited from Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Wuxi, respectively. The majority of participants were 20-29 years old (61.7%). 89.0% of MSM had ever used at least one GSN app, and 63.8% MSM had anal intercourse (AI) partners found via apps. Among app users, 62.7% spent <30 min on apps per day on average in the past 6 months. Compared with non-app users, app users were more likely to have an education level of college and above [adjusted OR (AOR) 3.36, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.65-7.03], have regular sex partners (2.40, 1.16-5.19), have two or more casual sex partners (2-5: 2.90, 1.21-6.90; ≥6: 13.91, 3.13-82.90), have condomless anal intercourse (CAI) with casual sex partners in the past 6 months (2.50, 1.28-5.04), do not know their last sex partners' HIV status (2.16, 1.13-4.21), have tested for HIV in the past year (2.09, 1.07-4.09) and be circumcised (4.07, 1.29-18.42). Prevalence of HIV (8.3 vs. 7.9%, P = 0.93), syphilis (6.9 vs. 11.1%, P = 0.34), gonorrhea (5.1 vs. 6.3%, P = 0.90), chlamydia (18.5 vs. 12.7%, P = 0.36), and anogenital warts (4.9 vs. 4.8%, P = 1.00) were similar between app users and non-app users. Conclusions GSN app users were more likely to have high-risk sexual behaviors, but the prevalence of HIV and other STIs were similar to non-app users. Longitudinal studies comparing the incidence of HIV/STIs between long-term app users and non-app users may be necessary to clarify the impact of app use on HIV/STIs risk.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zhihui Guo
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Anping Feng
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yiguo Zhou
- Department of Laboratorial Science and Technology & Vaccine Research Center, School of Public Health, Peking University, Beijing, China
| | - Yanxiao Gao
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yinghui Sun
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yuanyi Chen
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xinyi Zhou
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Huachun Zou
- School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen, China.,Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW, Australia
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Tan RKJ, Koh WL, Le D, Banerjee S, Chio MTW, Chan RKW, Wong CM, Tai BC, Wong ML, Cook AR, Chen MIC, Wong CS. Effect of a Popular Web Drama Video Series on HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing Among Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men in Singapore: Community-Based, Pragmatic, Randomized Controlled Trial. J Med Internet Res 2022; 24:e31401. [PMID: 35522470 PMCID: PMC9123545 DOI: 10.2196/31401] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/20/2021] [Revised: 03/09/2022] [Accepted: 04/09/2022] [Indexed: 11/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) are at disproportionately higher risk of acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). While HIV/STI testing rates among GBMSM are increasing worldwide, they remain suboptimal in a variety of settings. While many studies have attempted to evaluate the efficacy of a variety of community-based campaigns, including peer and reminder-based interventions on HIV/STI testing, however few have attempted to do so for a web drama series. Objective This study evaluates the effectiveness of a popular web drama video series developed by a community-based organization in Singapore for GBMSM on HIV and other STI testing behaviors. Methods The study is a pragmatic, randomized controlled trial to evaluate a popular web drama video series developed by a community-based organization in Singapore for GBMSM. A total of 300 HIV-negative, GBMSM men in Singapore aged 18 to 29 years old were recruited and block-randomized into the intervention (n=150) and control arms (n=150). Primary outcomes included changes in self-reported intention to test for, actual testing for, and regularity of testing for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia or gonorrhea, while secondary outcomes include changes in a variety of other knowledge-based and psychosocial measures at the end of the study period. Results Overall, 83.3% (125/150) of participants in the intervention arm completed the proof of completion survey, compared to 88.7% (133/150) in the control arm. We found improvements in self-reporting as a regular (at least yearly) tester for HIV (15.9% difference, 95% CI, 3.2% to 28.6%; P=.02), as well as chlamydia or gonorrhea (15.5% difference, 95% CI, 4.2% to 26.9%; P=.009), indicating that the intervention had positively impacted these outcomes compared to the control condition. We also found improvements in participants’ intentions to test for HIV (16.6% difference, 95% CI, 4.3% to 28.9%; P=.009), syphilis (14.8% difference, 95% CI, 3.2% to 26.4%; P=.01), as well as chlamydia or gonorrhea (15.4% difference, 95% CI, 4.2% to 26.6%; P=.008), in the next 3 months, indicating that the intervention was effective in positively impacting intention for HIV and other STI testing among participants. Conclusions There are clear benefits for promoting intentions to test regularly and prospectively on a broad scale through this intervention. This intervention also has potential to reach GBMSM who may not have access to conventional HIV and other STI prevention messaging, which have typically been implemented at sex-on-premises venues, bars, clubs, and in sexual health settings frequented by GBMSM. When coupled with community or population-wide structural interventions, the overall impact on testing will likely be significant. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04021953; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT04021953 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) RR2-10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033855
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayner Kay Jin Tan
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.,University of North Carolina Project-China, Guangzhou, China
| | - Wee Ling Koh
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Daniel Le
- Action for AIDS Singapore, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Martin Tze-Wei Chio
- Department of Sexually Transmitted Infections Control Clinic, National Skin Centre, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Christina Misa Wong
- Behavioral, Epidemiological and Clinical Sciences, FHI 360, Durham, NC, United States
| | - Bee Choo Tai
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mee Lian Wong
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | - Alex R Cook
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore
| | | | - Chen Seong Wong
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore, Singapore
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Incidence, Persistence, and Clearance of Anal Human Papillomavirus among Men Who Have Sex with Men in China: An Observational Cohort Study. Pathogens 2022; 11:pathogens11030314. [PMID: 35335637 PMCID: PMC8949987 DOI: 10.3390/pathogens11030314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/21/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2022] [Accepted: 03/01/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
(1) Background: We conducted a prospective observational cohort study to measure incidence, persistence, and clearance of anal human papillomavirus (HPV) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. (2) Methods: MSM were recruited in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Wuxi, China in 2017. A tablet-based questionnaire was used to collect sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. An anal brush sample was collected for HPV testing and genotyping. Participants were followed up 12 months after enrolment. (3) Results: A total of 196 participants completed two HPV tests with a median age of 27.3 (interquartile range (IQR) 24.0–32.8) years. Rate of incidence, persistence, and clearance for HPV among MSM were 31.3 (95% confidence interval (CI) 24.7–39.2), 47.9 (36.8–61.3), and 122.5 (104.3–143.0) per 1000 person months (pm), respectively. HPV 16 (4.1/1000 pm) had the highest incidence rate, and HPV 6 (47.4/1000 pm) had the highest persistence rate. Having lower education and engaging in receptive anal intercourse were potential risk factors of HPV incidence. A higher incidence rate was observed among younger MSM. (4) Conclusions: The high incidence and low clearance of anal HPV highlight the necessity of HPV vaccination among MSM. Further studies are needed to clarify the HPV dynamics at multiple anatomical sites and the burden of HPV-related diseases among MSM.
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Chen W, Ding Y, Chen J, Zhao P, Wang Z, Meng X, Jia T, Zheng H, Yang B, Luo Z, Zou H. Awareness of and Preferences for Preexposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) among MSM at High Risk of HIV Infection in Southern China: Findings from the T2T Study. BIOMED RESEARCH INTERNATIONAL 2021; 2021:6682932. [PMID: 33869634 PMCID: PMC8035020 DOI: 10.1155/2021/6682932] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/17/2020] [Revised: 03/03/2021] [Accepted: 03/17/2021] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
Abstract
This study is aimed at investigating the awareness of and preferences for oral and long-acting injectable HIV preexposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and their associated factors among men who have sex with men (MSM) at high risk of HIV infection in southern China. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among 603 MSM who were recruited through a cohort study called the T2T Study at three sexual health clinics in Guangzhou, Shenzhen, and Wuxi, China, from 2017 to 2018. We collected information on HIV-negative participants' awareness of and willingness to use PrEP and its potential correlations. Univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used for data analyses. A total of 550 HIV-negative MSM were enrolled in the study. Less than half of at-risk MSM (43.1%) had heard of PrEP before, and the rate of overall willingness to use PrEP was 65.8%, while MSM were more willing to use daily oral PrEP than long-acting injectable- (LAI-) PrEP (62.2% vs. 38.5%). MSM who had university degrees or above (aOR = 1.55, 95% CI: 1.01-2.37), used condoms during last anal sex (1.52, 1.01-2.29), and tested 3 times or more for HIV (2.45, 1.10-5.47) were more likely to be aware of PrEP. MSM who had use of gay dating apps (1.51, 1.02-2.23), ever participated in HIV- or sexually transmitted disease (STD-) related studies (1.91, 1.24-2.94), and had heard of PrEP (3.06, 2.06-4.54) were more willing to use any regimen of PrEP. MSM at high risk of HIV infection had low awareness of PrEP and moderate willingness to use PrEP. Further studies of the implementation and promotion of PrEP targeting at-risk MSM should be performed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Weiying Chen
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Yi Ding
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Jianghao Chen
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Peipei Zhao
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518054, China
- Jane Addams College of Social Work, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago IL 60601, USA
| | - Zhenyu Wang
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510080, China
| | - Xiaojun Meng
- Department of AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Tianjian Jia
- Department of AIDS/STD Control and Prevention, Wuxi Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Wuxi 214000, China
| | - Heping Zheng
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Bin Yang
- Dermatology Hospital, Southern Medical University, Guangzhou 510080, China
| | - Zhenzhou Luo
- Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Nanshan Center for Chronic Disease Control, Shenzhen 518054, China
| | - Huachun Zou
- Department of Medical Statistics, School of Public Health (Shenzhen), Sun Yat-sen University, Shenzhen 510080, China
- Kirby Institute, University of New South Wales, Sydney 1466, Australia
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Tan RKJ, Koh WL, Le D, Tan A, Tyler A, Tan C, Banerjee S, Wong CS, Wong ML, Chio MTW, Chen MIC. Effect of a web drama video series on HIV and other sexually transmitted infection testing among gay, bisexual and queer men: study protocol for a community-based, pragmatic randomised controlled trial in Singapore: the People Like Us (PLU) Evaluation Study. BMJ Open 2020; 10:e033855. [PMID: 32269026 PMCID: PMC7170638 DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2019-033855] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/27/2019] [Revised: 02/07/2020] [Accepted: 03/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Gay, bisexual and queer (GBQ) men are at disproportionately higher risk of acquiring HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI). While HIV/STI testing rates among GBQ men are increasing worldwide, they remain suboptimal in a variety of settings. METHODS AND ANALYSIS The study is a pragmatic randomised controlled trial designed to evaluate an online video series developed by a community-based organisation in Singapore for GBQ men. A total of 300 HIV-negative GBQ men in Singapore aged 18-29 years old will be recruited for this study. Participants will subsequently be randomised into the intervention arm (n=150) and the control arm (n=150). The intervention arm (n=150) will be assigned the intervention along with sexual health information via a pamphlet, while the control group (n=150) will be assigned only the sexual health information via a pamphlet. Participants should also not have watched the video prior to their participation in this study, which will be ascertained through a questionnaire. Primary outcomes for this evaluation are changes in self-reported intention to test for, actual testing for and regularity of testing for HIV, syphilis, chlamydia and gonorrhoea at the 3 and 6 months after intervention. Secondary outcomes include changes in self-reported risk perception for HIV and other STIs, knowledge of HIV, knowledge of risks associated with acquiring STIs, knowledge of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, consistent condom use for anal sex with casual partners, incidence of STIs, connectedness to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community, self-concealment of sexual orientation, perceived homophobia, internalised homophobia, HIV testing self-efficacy and HIV testing social norms. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION The study has been approved by the National University of Singapore Institutional Review Board (S-19-059) and registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. The results will be published in peer-reviewed academic journals and disseminated to community-based organisations and policymakers. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04021953.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rayner Kay Jin Tan
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Wee Ling Koh
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | - Daniel Le
- Action for AIDS Singapore, Singapore
| | - Avin Tan
- Action for AIDS Singapore, Singapore
| | | | | | | | - Chen Seong Wong
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore
- Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, National University of Singapore, Singapore
| | - Mee-Lian Wong
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
| | | | - Mark I-Cheng Chen
- Saw Swee Hock School of Public Health, National University of Singapore and National University Health System, Singapore
- National Centre for Infectious Diseases, Singapore
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Behavioural Prevention Strategies for STI Control. Sex Transm Infect 2020. [DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-02200-6_4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022] Open
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Guo Y, Xu Z, Qiao J, Hong YA, Zhang H, Zeng C, Cai W, Li L, Liu C. Development and Feasibility Testing of an mHealth (Text Message and WeChat) Intervention to Improve the Medication Adherence and Quality of Life of People Living with HIV in China: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Mhealth Uhealth 2018; 6:e10274. [PMID: 30181109 PMCID: PMC6231726 DOI: 10.2196/10274] [Citation(s) in RCA: 42] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/03/2018] [Revised: 05/31/2018] [Accepted: 06/18/2018] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Most people living with HIV (PLWH) reside in middle- and low-income countries with limited access to health services. Thus, cost-effective interventions that can reach a large number of PLWH are urgently needed. Objective The objective of our study was to assess the feasibility and acceptability of an mHealth intervention among PLWH in China. Methods Based on previous formative research, we designed an mHealth intervention program that included sending weekly reminders to participants via text messages (short message service, SMS) and articles on HIV self-management three times a week via a popular social media app WeChat. A total of 62 PLWH recruited from an HIV outpatient clinic were randomly assigned to intervention or control group. The intervention lasted for 3 months, and all participants were assessed for their medication adherence, presence of depression, quality of life (QoL), and CD4 (cluster of differentiation 4) counts. Upon completing the intervention, we interviewed 31 participants to further assess the feasibility and acceptability of the study. Results At baseline, the intervention and control groups did not differ in terms of demographic characteristics or any of the major outcome measures. About 85% (53/62) of the participants completed the intervention, and they provided valuable feedback on the design and content of the intervention. Participants preferred WeChat as the platform for receiving information and interactive communication for ease of access. Furthermore, they made specific recommendations about building trust, interactive features, and personalized feedback. In the follow-up assessment, the intervention and control groups did not differ in terms of major outcome measures. Conclusions This pilot study represents one of the first efforts to develop a text messaging (SMS)- and WeChat-based intervention that focused on improving the medication adherence and QoL of PLWH in China. Our data indicates that an mHealth intervention is feasible and acceptable to this population. The data collected through this pilot study will inform the future designs and implementations of mHealth interventions in this vulnerable population. We recommend more innovative mHealth interventions with rigorous designs for the PLWH in middle- and low-income countries. Trial Registration Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR1800017987; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=30448 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/71zC7Pdzs) Registered Report Ientifier RR1-10.2196/
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Affiliation(s)
- Yan Guo
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Sun Yat-sen Center for Migrant Health Policy, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.,Sun Yat-sen Global Health Institute, Institute of State Governance, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Zhimeng Xu
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jiaying Qiao
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Y Alicia Hong
- Department of Health Promotion and Community Health Sciences, School of Public Health, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX, United States
| | - Hanxi Zhang
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Chengbo Zeng
- Department of Biostatistics and Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Weiping Cai
- Department of Infectious Disease, Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Linghua Li
- Department of Infectious Disease, Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
| | - Cong Liu
- Department of Infectious Disease, Eighth People's Hospital, Guangzhou, China
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