Search

Objective: To determine whether sexual-risk and STI-testing behaviors differ by college student status. Participants: Sexually experienced 17- to 25-year-olds from a 2013 nationally representative panel survey that evaluated the "Get Yourself Tested" campaign. Non-students (n = 628), 2-yr (n = 319), and 4-yr college students (n = 587) were surveyed. Methods: Bivariate analyses and multiple logistic regression were used. Results: Students were less likely than non-students to have had an early sexual debut and to have not used condoms in their most recent relationship. 4-yr students were less likely than non-students to have had multiple sexual partners. 2-yr students were less likely than non-students to have not used contraception in their most recent relationship. Conclusions: 2-yr and 4-yr college students were less likely than non-students to engage in sexual-risk behaviors. Given potentially greater risk for STI acquisition among non-students, identification and implementation of strategies to increase sexual health education and services among this population is needed.

As increased attention and proposed funding are being directed toward community colleges, it is important to consider the sexual and reproductive health care needs of this growing population. Existing data suggest there are significant sexual health needs among this population and often insufficient provision of services. Some community college students are more likely than students at 4-year colleges to test positive for sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). Given resource constraints, creative solutions are required. These may include campus-wide policies addressing STD/HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) prevention, referral systems to connect students to care in the community, and partnerships with local health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers, or community-based organizations to assist with the provision of services. Colleges have the unique opportunity to provide students with valuable information about sexual health and services. Community colleges, in particular, are uniquely positioned to reach at-risk community members for STD testing and sexual health care who might otherwise be lost to care. More research is needed on the sexual health needs of community college students, especially on factors such as geographic location, how embedded the school is into the community, social norms around sexual health on college campuses, and health services offered. New and innovative ways to promote linkage to care for testing and counseling could offer potential health benefits to this growing at-risk population.

Many HIV-positive persons use the Internet to address at least some of their needs for HIV-specific information and support. The aim of this multimethod study was to understand how a diverse sample of persons who were recently diagnosed with HIV (PRDH) used the Internet after an HIV diagnosis and their perceptions of online HIV-related information and resources. HIV-positive persons (N = 63) who had been diagnosed since the year 2000 were recruited primarily through HIV-related websites and HIV medical clinics. One third of participants (33%, n = 21) were gay or bisexual men, 25% (n = 16) were heterosexual men, 32% (n = 20) were heterosexual women, and 10% (n = 6) were transgender women (male to female). Semistructured interviews and brief postinterview surveys were used to collect qualitative and quantitative data. Qualitative findings suggested that the most appealing websites to PRDH included those that: (1) provided usable information on topics of immediate concern; (2) used accessible formats that were easy to navigate; (3) were perceived as trustworthy, and (4) provided access to diverse perspectives of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Topics that PRDH found most useful included various medical treatment-related issues, tools for coping with depression and fear, and learning how others cope with HIV. Incorporating the perspectives of HIV-positive persons into the design and content of HIV-related websites is important to enhance their appeal for this diverse and growing population. DOI: 10.1089/apc.2009.0228

There are no published reports on ways in which caregivers use the Internet to support people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). Five hundred caregivers were recruited in a 5-week period to complete an online survey of demographic characteristics, Internet use, online health-seeking self-efficacy, and ways they used the Internet to support PLWHA. Caregivers were on average 39 years old, white, heterosexual, highly educated, and Internet-savvy. Most provided informal care only (e.g., as a friend; 78%), with the remainder divided among those who provided care exclusively as part of their job (11%) or in both informally and professionally (11%). Most (72%) respondents visited a general medical website for HIV information, and 44% shared information from the Internet with PLWHA. Compared to informal caregivers, caregivers whose roles were both informal and professional had greater odds of recently sharing information from the Internet with PLWHA (odds ratio [OR] = 2.03) and ever printing off information from a website to give to PLWHA (odds ratio [OR] = 3.87). Professional caregivers had higher odds of ever printing off information from a website to give to PLWHA (OR = 1.87), but lower odds of sending an e-mail with a website link (OR = 0.32) than informal caregivers. These findings suggest that websites providing HIV-related resources should consider the various ways in which caregivers use their content, and how utilization differs by role. More research is needed to understand how people providing care for PLWHA share information and support each other and the impact that doing so has on caregiver burden and treatment outcomes for PLWHA. DOI: 10.1089/apc.2009.0163

Sex and the Internet: A Guidebook for Clinicians. Edited by Al Cooper. Philadelphia: Brunner-Routledge, 2002, 288 pages. Paper, $34.95. By now, it is a cliche to claim that the Internet [...]