scholarly journals Prevention of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections by Geofencing and Contextualized Messages With a Gamified App, UBESAFE: Design and Creation Study

10.2196/14568 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. e14568
Author(s):  
Felipe Besoain ◽  
Antoni Perez-Navarro ◽  
Constanza Jacques Aviñó ◽  
Joan A Caylà ◽  
Nicolas A Barriga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Sexual Contacts ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Feasibility Test

Background Advances in the development of information and communication technologies have facilitated social and sexual interrelationships, thanks to the websites and apps created to this end. However, these resources can also encourage sexual contacts without appropriate preventive measures in relation to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). How can users be helped to benefit from the advantages of these apps while keeping in mind those preventive measures? Objective This study aimed to prevent STIs by helping users to remember preventive measures in the risky situations. Methods We have used the design and creation methodology and have developed a software system. This system has two parts: an Android operating system app with emphasis on ubiquitous computing and gamification as well as a server with a webpage. First, a functional test with 5 men who have sex with men (MSM) allowed us to test the app with end users. In addition, a feasibility test with 4 MSM for a month allowed us to try the UBESAFE system with all its functionalities. Results The main output is a system called UBESAFE that is addressed to MSM. The system has two main parts: (1) an app that sends preventive contextualized messages to users when they use a contact app or when they are near a point where sexual contacts are likely and (2) a server part that was managed by the public health agency of Barcelona (ASPB), which preserves the quality and pertinence of messages and places and offers instant help to users. To increase users’ adherence, UBESAFE uses a gamified system to engage users in the creation of preventive messages. Users increased the initial pool of messages by more than 100% (34/30) and created more than 56% (9/16) of places (named hot zones). Conclusions The system helped MSM who used it to become conscious about HIV and other STIs. The system also helped the ASPB to stay in contact with MSM and to detect behaviors that could benefit from preventive measures. All functions were performed in a nonintrusive manner because users used the app privately. Furthermore, the system has shown how important it is to make users a part of the creation process as well as to develop apps that work by themselves and thus become useful to the users.

scholarly journals Prevention of HIV and Other Sexually Transmitted Infections by Geofencing and Contextualized Messages With a Gamified App, UBESAFE: Design and Creation Study (Preprint)

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felipe Besoain ◽  
Antoni Perez-Navarro ◽  
Constanza Jacques Aviñó ◽  
Joan A Caylà ◽  
Nicolas A Barriga ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Information And Communication Technologies ◽  
Preventive Measures ◽  
Health Agency ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Information And Communication ◽  
Sexual Contacts ◽  
The Creation ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Feasibility Test

BACKGROUND Advances in the development of information and communication technologies have facilitated social and sexual interrelationships, thanks to the websites and apps created to this end. However, these resources can also encourage sexual contacts without appropriate preventive measures in relation to HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). How can users be helped to benefit from the advantages of these apps while keeping in mind those preventive measures? OBJECTIVE This study aimed to prevent STIs by helping users to remember preventive measures in the risky situations. METHODS We have used the design and creation methodology and have developed a software system. This system has two parts: an Android operating system app with emphasis on ubiquitous computing and gamification as well as a server with a webpage. First, a functional test with 5 men who have sex with men (MSM) allowed us to test the app with end users. In addition, a feasibility test with 4 MSM for a month allowed us to try the UBESAFE system with all its functionalities. RESULTS The main output is a system called UBESAFE that is addressed to MSM. The system has two main parts: (1) an app that sends preventive contextualized messages to users when they use a contact app or when they are near a point where sexual contacts are likely and (2) a server part that was managed by the public health agency of Barcelona (ASPB), which preserves the quality and pertinence of messages and places and offers instant help to users. To increase users’ adherence, UBESAFE uses a gamified system to engage users in the creation of preventive messages. Users increased the initial pool of messages by more than 100% (34/30) and created more than 56% (9/16) of places (named hot zones). CONCLUSIONS The system helped MSM who used it to become conscious about HIV and other STIs. The system also helped the ASPB to stay in contact with MSM and to detect behaviors that could benefit from preventive measures. All functions were performed in a nonintrusive manner because users used the app privately. Furthermore, the system has shown how important it is to make users a part of the creation process as well as to develop apps that work by themselves and thus become useful to the users.

scholarly journals Testing as Prevention of Resistance in Bacteria Causing Sexually Transmitted Infections—A Population-Based Model for Germany

Antibiotics ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (8) ◽  
pp. 929
Author(s):  
Andreas Hahn ◽  
Hagen Frickmann ◽  
Ulrike Loderstädt
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
False Negative ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Test Characteristics ◽  
Antibiotic Drugs ◽  
False Positive Signal ◽  
Antibiotic Drug ◽  
Potential Applicability ◽  
Sex With Men

Prescribed antibiotic treatments which do not match the therapeutic requirements of potentially co-existing undetected sexually transmitted infections (STIs) can facilitate the selection of antibiotic-drug-resistant clones. To reduce this risk, this modelling assessed the potential applicability of reliable rapid molecular test assays targeting bacterial STI prior to the prescription of antibiotic drugs. The modelling was based on the prevalence of three bacterial STIs in German heterosexual and men-having-sex-with-men (MSM) populations, as well as on reported test characteristics of respective assays. In the case of the application of rapid molecular STI assays for screening, the numbers needed to test in order to correctly identify any of the included bacterial STIs ranged from 103 to 104 for the heterosexual population and from 5 to 14 for the MSM population. The number needed to harm—defined as getting a false negative result for any of the STIs and a false positive signal for another one, potentially leading to an even more inappropriate adaptation of antibiotic therapy than without any STI screening—was at least 208,995 for the heterosexuals and 16,977 for the MSM. Therefore, the screening approach may indeed be suitable to avoid unnecessary selective pressure on bacterial causes of sexually transmitted infections.

Multifactorial Correlates of Incident Bacterial Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Black Men Who have Sex with Men Recruited in 6 US Cities (HPTN 061)

2021 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Lao-Tzu Allan-Blitz ◽  
Timothy W. Menza ◽  
Vanessa Cummings ◽  
Charlotte A. Gaydos ◽  
Leo Wilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Black Men ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Us Cities

scholarly journals Men treated for syphilis in Białystok, Poland, 2014-2018

2019 ◽  
pp. 329-335
Author(s):  
Agnieszka Beata Serwin ◽  
Adriana Grochowska ◽  
Iwona Flisiak
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Partner Notification ◽  
Secondary Syphilis ◽  
Contact Tracing ◽  
Professional Activity ◽  
Symptomatic Infection ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sexual Contacts ◽  
Sex With Men

INTRODUCTION. Incidence of syphilis is increasing in Europe in recent years, mainly due to high incidence in men, especially men who have sex with men (MSM). AIM. To analyse sociodemographic, epidemiological and clinical characteristics of men treated for syphilis in Bialystok in 2014 – 2018, to compare these of MSM and men who have sex with women (MSW). MATERIAL AND METHODS. Analysis of age, residency, professional activity, type of sexual contacts (steady vs. casual), marital status, stage of syphilis diagnosed, concomitant sexually transmitted infections (STIs), treatment, partner notification and follow-up attendance. RESULTS. Of 49 male patients with syphilis 26 (53.06%) were MSM and 23 (46.94%) – MSW. The average age was 33.67 and 35.87 years in MSM and MSW patients, respectively. Majority of patients in both groups were residents of urban areas. Tradesmen and those unemployed constituted the highest proportion in MSM and MSW group, respectively. MSM were in majority single and had only casual contacts while MSW, mostly married or engaged in steady relationship, had also casual contacts. Secondary syphilis was most frequently diagnosed in MSM and late latent syphilis - in MSW. Eight patients (16.32%) had concomitant HIV infection, in all diagnosed before syphilis. Contact tracing was successful in 26.92% of MSM and 39.13% of MSW. Follow-up was not done or not completed in half of MSM and more than half of MSW. CONCLUSIONS. Results confirm that MSM play a crucial role in the current epidemics of syphilis. They have mainly casual sexual contacts and have symptomatic infection. In both MSM and MSW contact tracing and follow-up attendance is suboptimal.

scholarly journals Designing a brief behaviour change intervention to reduce sexually transmitted infections: a discrete choice experiment

2018 ◽  
Vol 29 (9) ◽  
pp. 851-860 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alec Miners ◽  
Carrie Llewellyn ◽  
Carina King ◽  
Alex Pollard ◽  
Anupama Roy ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Discrete Choice Experiment ◽  
Discrete Choice ◽  
Choice Experiment ◽  
Important Determinant ◽  
Behavioural Change ◽  
Behaviour Change Intervention ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sex With Men

To understand whether people attending sexual health (SH) clinics are willing to participate in a brief behavioural change intervention (BBCI) to reduce the likelihood of future sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and to understand their preferences for different service designs, we conducted a discrete choice experiment (DCE) with young heterosexual adults (aged 16–25 years), and men who have sex with men (MSM) aged 16 or above, attending SH clinics in England. Data from 368 participants showed that people particularly valued BBCIs that involved talking (OR 1.45; 95%CI 1.35, 1.57 compared with an ‘email or text’-based BBCIs), preferably with a health care professional rather than a peer. Findings also showed that 26% of respondents preferred ‘email/texts’ to all other options; the remaining 14% preferred not to participate in any of the offered BBCIs. These results suggest that most people attending SH clinics in England are likely to participate in a BBCI if offered, but the type/format of the BBCI is likely to be the single important determinant of uptake rather than characteristics such as the length and the number of sessions. Moreover, participants generally favoured ‘talking’-based options rather than digital alternatives, which are likely to require the most resources to implement.

Self-Reported Screening for Rectal Sexually Transmitted Infections Among Men Who Have Sex With Men

2019 ◽  
Vol 46 (10) ◽  
pp. 683-688 ◽  
Author(s):  
Timothy William Menza ◽  
Lauren Lipira ◽  
Amisha Bhattarai ◽  
F. Joseph Ramirez ◽  
E. Roberto Orellana
Keyword(s):  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Sex With Men

scholarly journals Sexually transmitted infections in young people and factors associated with HIV coinfection: an observational study in a large city

BMJ Open ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. e027245 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Sentís ◽  
Mario Martin-Sanchez ◽  
Maider Arando ◽  
Martí Vall ◽  
María Jesus Barbera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young People ◽  
Sexually Transmitted Infections ◽  
Large City ◽  
Epidemiological Surveillance ◽  
Sexually Transmitted ◽  
Factors Associated ◽  
Hiv Coinfection ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Epidemiological Characteristics

ObjectivesYoung people are a critical target group for sexually transmitted infections (STI) surveillance due to their particular behavioural and social related vulnerability. The aim of this study was to describe the epidemiological characteristics and trends in the incidence of gonorrhoea, syphilis, HIV and venereal lymphogranuloma (LGV) among 15–24-year-olds in Barcelona, and to determine factors associated with HIV coinfection.DesignWe performed a population-based incidence study covering the 2007–2015 period.ParticipantsAll new cases of STI—HIV, gonorrhoea, infectious syphilis and LGV—notified to the epidemiological surveillance system in Barcelona between 2007 and 2015. 1218 cases were studied: 84.6% were men, 19.3% were 15–19 years old and 50.6% were born in Spain. Among men, 73.7% were men who have sex with men (MSM); among women, 85.6% were women that have sex with men.Primary and secondary outcomesIncidence of HIV, gonorrhoea, infectious syphilis and LGV. HIV coinfection.ResultsThere was an increase in the incidence of gonorrhoea, from 1.9 cases per 10 000 people in 2007 to 7.6/10 000 in 2015 (p<0.01), in MSM from 27.1 to 228.8/10 000 (p<0.01). The incidence of syphilis increased from 0.4/10 000 in 2007 to 3.1/10 000 in 2015 (significant in men only, p<0.01), in MSM from 18.1 to 116.9/10 000 (p<0.01). The incidence of HIV showed a non-significant increase in men (p=0.27), and that of LGV remained stable (p=0.59). Factors associated with increased risk of HIV coinfection included being MSM (adjusted OR[ORa]=14.14, 95% CI 3.34 to 59.91) and having >10 sexual partners (ORa=4.11, 95% CI 1.53 to 11.01) or STI diagnosis during the previous 12 months (ORa=2.06; 95% CI 1.13 to 3.77).ConclusionsThe incidence of gonorrhoea and syphilis among 15–24-year-olds increased, while HIV infection remained stable but with a high incidence among MSM. Being MSM, having sex with multiple partners and having a diagnosis of an STI in the previous 12 months were factors associated with HIV coinfection.

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