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BackgroundSocial media, including mobile technologies and social networking sites, are being used increasingly as part of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention and treatment efforts. As an important avenue for communication about HIV, social media use may continue to increase and become more widespread. ObjectiveThe objective of this paper is to present a comprehensive systematic review of the current published literature on the design, users, benefits, and limitations of using social media to communicate about HIV prevention and treatment. MethodsThis review paper used a systematic approach to survey all literature published before February 2014 using 7 electronic databases and a manual search. The inclusion criteria were (1) primary focus on communication/interaction about HIV/acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), (2) discusses the use of social media to facilitate communication, (3) communication on the social media platform is between individuals or a group of individuals rather than the use of preset, automated responses from a platform, (4) published before February 19, 2014, and (5) all study designs. ResultsThe search identified 35 original research studies. Thirty studies had low or unclear risk of at least one of the bias items in the methodological quality assessment. Among the 8 social media platform types described, short message service text messaging was most commonly used. Platforms served multiple purposes including disseminating health information, conducting health promotion, sharing experiences, providing social support, and promoting medication adherence. Social media users were diverse in geographic location and race/ethnicity; studies commonly reported users aged 18-40 years and users with lower income. Although most studies did not specify whether use was anonymous, studies reported the importance of anonymity in social media use to communicate about HIV largely due to the stigma associated with HIV. The ability to share and receive information about HIV was the most commonly reported benefit of social media use and the most common challenges were related to technology. Measures of frequency of use, satisfaction, and effects of use varied across studies. ConclusionsUsing social media to bridge communication among a diverse range of users, in various geographic and social contexts, may be leveraged through pre-existing platforms and with attention to the roles of anonymity and confidentiality in communication about HIV prevention and treatment. More robust research is needed to determine the effects of social media use on various health and social outcomes related to HIV.

Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality and has well-described disparities in outcomes. Significant survival gains in non--small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) have been achieved due to precision oncology; however, shortfalls in its delivery will further exacerbate disparities. Patient navigation is an approach to address cancer care disparities. We sought to characterize the barriers and facilitators to precision oncology through a mixed methods approach. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of patient navigators, pathologists, and clinicians in North Carolina. We conducted surveys and interviews to assess barriers and facilitators to effective delivery of precision medicine for patients with advanced NSCLC, including next-generation sequencing (NGS) and use of targeted therapies and immunotherapy. We recruited both community-based and academic cancer providers across the state. Results: Fifty-six participants completed the survey, with representation from both community and academic sites, and 5 completed interviews. Clinicians reported gaps in delivery of precision medicine as well as knowledge gaps, feeling "not at all" or "a little bit" knowledgeable about NGS (19%), liquid biopsy (32%), and targeted therapies (19%). Navigators endorsed common conversations about precision medicine but felt "somewhat" or "very" uncomfortable discussing NGS (38%), targeted therapies (31%), and had limited confidence in resolving barriers. Qualitative interviews highlighted potential solutions, including financial aid, dedicated pathology support, use of liquid biopsy, and partnership with social work. Conclusion: Academic and community-based clinicians in North Carolina reported gaps in delivery of precision oncology in advanced NSCLC. Navigators reported a significant role in precision oncology education and delivery but limited confidence in doing so. Qualitative data highlight potential strategies for improving access. These findings suggest a need for further interventions and education to support clinicians and navigators disseminating precision oncology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theatre-based interventions have been used in health promotion with young people to address HIV and sexual health. In this study, we explored the experience of undergraduate student performers participating in a theatre-based HIV prevention and sexual health education intervention for high school students in the USA. Undergraduate students enrolled in a credit-bearing course to learn about HIV and sexual health, participatory theatre and health education techniques. We analysed students' reflective essays written throughout the semester to identify any changes and the intervention processes that promoted these changes. Students experienced five interrelated forms of transformation: (1) increased knowledge about HIV and sexual health; (2) changes in attitudes and communication about sex; (3) artistic growth; (4) emotional growth; and (5) clarification of career goals and future plans. Intervention processes that contributed to these transformations included improvisation, guided writing exercises, the creation of a close-knit cohesive group and interactions with a group of HIV-positive speakers. Theatre-based, peer-led sexual health programmes can provide a transformative experience for undergraduate student performers. These transformative effects are linked to specific activities and processes of the intervention and require examination in future research.

Background: Mobile health (mHealth) interventions for smoking cessation have grown extensively over the last few years. Although these interventions improve cessation rates, studies of these interventions consistently lack sufficient Black smokers; hence knowledge of features that make mHealth interventions attractive to Black smokers is limited. Identifying features of mHealth interventions for smoking cessation preferred by Black smokers is critical to developing an intervention that they are likely to use. This may in turn address smoking cessation challenges and barriers to care, which may reduce smoking-related disparities that currently exist., Objective: This study aims to identify features of mHealth interventions that appeal to Black smokers using an evidence-based app developed by the National Cancer Institute, QuitGuide, as a reference., Methods: We recruited Black adult smokers from national web-based research panels with a focus on the Southeastern United States. Participants were asked to download and use QuitGuide for at least a week before participation in remote individual interviews. Participants gave their opinions about features of the QuitGuide app and other mHealth apps they may have used in the past and suggestions for future apps., Results: Of the 18 participants, 78% (n=14) were women, with age ranging from 32 to 65 years. Themes within five major areas relevant for developing a future mHealth smoking cessation app emerged from the individual interviews: (1) content needs including health and financial benefits of quitting, testimonials from individuals who were successful in quitting, and strategies for quitting; (2) format needs such as images, ability to interact with and respond to elements within the app, and links to other helpful resources; (3) functionality including tracking of smoking behavior and symptoms, provision of tailored feedback and reminders to users, and an app that allows for personalization of functions; (4) social network, such as connecting with friends and family through the app, connecting with other users on social media, and connecting with a smoking cessation coach or therapist; and (5) the need for inclusivity for Black individuals, which may be accomplished through the inclusion of smoking-related information and health statistics specific for Black individuals, the inclusion of testimonials from Black celebrities who successfully quit, and the inclusion of cultural relevance in messages contained in the app., Conclusions: Certain features of mHealth interventions for smoking cessation were highly preferred by Black smokers based on their use of a preexisting mHealth app, QuitGuide. Some of these preferences are similar to those already identified by the general population, whereas preferences for increasing the inclusivity of the app are more specific to Black smokers. These findings can serve as the groundwork for a large-scale experiment to evaluate preferences with a larger sample size and can be applied in developing mHealth apps that Black smokers may be more likely to use., (©Chineme Enyioha, Larissa M Loufman, Mary E Grewe, Crystal W Cené, Saif Khairat, Adam O Goldstein, Christine E Kistler. Originally published in JMIR Formative Research (https://formative.jmir.org), 30.05.2023.)

Introduction: Probability of survival after out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) doubles when a bystander initiates cardiopulmonary resuscitation and uses an automated external defibrillator (AED) rapidly. National, state, and community efforts have increased placement of AEDs in public spaces; however, bystander AED use remains less than 2% in the United States. Little is known about the effect of giving bystanders directional assistance to the closest public access AED., Methods: We conducted 35 OHCA simulations using a life-sized manikin with participants aged 18 through 65 years who searched for public access AEDs in 5 zones on a university campus. Zones varied by challenges to pedestrian AED acquisition and number of fixed AEDs. Participants completed 2 searches-first unassisted and then with verbal direction to the closest AED-and we compared AED delivery times. We conducted pretest and posttest surveys., Results: In all 5 zones, the median time from simulated OHCA onset to AED delivery was lower when the bystander received directional assistance. Time savings (minutes:seconds) varied by zone, ranging from a median of 0:53 (P = 0.14) to 3:42 (P = 0.02). Only 3 participants immediately located the closest AED without directional assistance; more than half reported difficulty locating an AED., Conclusions: These findings may inform strategies to ensure that AEDs are consistently marked and placed in visible, accessible locations. Continued emphasis on developing strategies to improve lay bystanders' ability to locate and use AEDs may improve AED retrieval times and OHCA outcomes., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2021 Society for Simulation in Healthcare.)