HIV/AIDS
Can A New Video Project Increase Safer Sex Among Gay Men?
By RealJock Staff
Published Jun 11, 2008
Published Jun 11, 2008
How do you reverse the rising tide of unsafe sex practices and new HIV infections in gay men—and in particular young gay men—without sounding preachy or overly clinical? A new collaborative video web site sets out to do just that.
HIV Big Deal, which launched today, has begun offering a series of 10-minute online videos that try to make HIV prevention and testing messages personal and easy for gay men to relate to by following the fictional case of "Josh," a young gay man who has unsafe sex and has to wrestle with the implications. (See the first video in the series at the bottom of this article.) The series is a collaboration between Dr. Mary Ann Chiasson, an epidemiologist and vice president for research and evaluation with Public Health Solutions, a New York-based non-profit aimed at improving community health, and Francine Shuchat Shaw, a faculty member of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. Together, Chiasson and Shaw have developed web video content designed to reduce high-risk sexual behavior among gay men. "The intent of the project is to go back to the basics. Know your HIV status and discuss it with your partner before making any decisions about sex," Chiasson says.
In other words—ask the tough questions that so many gay men neglect to. "About 25% of those who are HIV positive don't know it,” she says, “and it's estimated that the transmission rate from those that don't know is 3.5 times that of those who do know they're positive."
Some of this may be familiar news to gay men, particularly those who’ve been around the block a few times; but the point of the videos is to try to connect with viewers dramatically while putting into action scientific principles about changing people's attitudes. "The videos are meant to be engaging but are based on principles of learning theory and behavior change," Chiasson says. "We have evaluated the effectiveness of the first episode and found that men who viewed it were more likely to disclose HIV status with their partners and more likely to get tested. The advantage of being online is that the intervention is free, always available, and you don't have to go anywhere to watch it."
Early outcomes are encouraging; a sample of 500 men surveyed three months after viewing the first episode was found to be three times more likely to disclose their status and about 1.5 times more likely to get tested for HIV. Watching the first episode, "The Morning After," one can see why. The episode follows Josh through an online chat, to a club, into bed, and into his trick's medicine cabinet the next morning, where he makes an all-too-familiar discovery—HIV meds. From that point forward, episodes explore the question of individual responsibility—for disclosing one's status, practicing safer sex, and getting tested. Part of the intent of the episodes is to dispel common myths; as Chiasson says, "When you ask specific questions about how men know the status of their partners, it's clear that there's a lot of guessing and assuming—I know him, he looks clean, he wouldn't do that if he weren't already positive." With better information, the creators of the videos hope men will make more informed decisions.
The videos are designed to foster discussion; viewers are encouraged to use the site's comments section to discuss the issues raised in each episode. The site also offers background materials and links to additional resources on HIV prevention, testing, and care. A short documentary, Talking About HIV, is also available to spur discussion.
Want to test out the program? You can see Episode 1 below; go to HIVBigDeal.org to see the follow-up in Episode 2, "The Test." Additional episodes are currently in production.
HIV Big Deal, which launched today, has begun offering a series of 10-minute online videos that try to make HIV prevention and testing messages personal and easy for gay men to relate to by following the fictional case of "Josh," a young gay man who has unsafe sex and has to wrestle with the implications. (See the first video in the series at the bottom of this article.) The series is a collaboration between Dr. Mary Ann Chiasson, an epidemiologist and vice president for research and evaluation with Public Health Solutions, a New York-based non-profit aimed at improving community health, and Francine Shuchat Shaw, a faculty member of the Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development at New York University. Together, Chiasson and Shaw have developed web video content designed to reduce high-risk sexual behavior among gay men. "The intent of the project is to go back to the basics. Know your HIV status and discuss it with your partner before making any decisions about sex," Chiasson says.
In other words—ask the tough questions that so many gay men neglect to. "About 25% of those who are HIV positive don't know it,” she says, “and it's estimated that the transmission rate from those that don't know is 3.5 times that of those who do know they're positive."
Some of this may be familiar news to gay men, particularly those who’ve been around the block a few times; but the point of the videos is to try to connect with viewers dramatically while putting into action scientific principles about changing people's attitudes. "The videos are meant to be engaging but are based on principles of learning theory and behavior change," Chiasson says. "We have evaluated the effectiveness of the first episode and found that men who viewed it were more likely to disclose HIV status with their partners and more likely to get tested. The advantage of being online is that the intervention is free, always available, and you don't have to go anywhere to watch it."
Early outcomes are encouraging; a sample of 500 men surveyed three months after viewing the first episode was found to be three times more likely to disclose their status and about 1.5 times more likely to get tested for HIV. Watching the first episode, "The Morning After," one can see why. The episode follows Josh through an online chat, to a club, into bed, and into his trick's medicine cabinet the next morning, where he makes an all-too-familiar discovery—HIV meds. From that point forward, episodes explore the question of individual responsibility—for disclosing one's status, practicing safer sex, and getting tested. Part of the intent of the episodes is to dispel common myths; as Chiasson says, "When you ask specific questions about how men know the status of their partners, it's clear that there's a lot of guessing and assuming—I know him, he looks clean, he wouldn't do that if he weren't already positive." With better information, the creators of the videos hope men will make more informed decisions.
The videos are designed to foster discussion; viewers are encouraged to use the site's comments section to discuss the issues raised in each episode. The site also offers background materials and links to additional resources on HIV prevention, testing, and care. A short documentary, Talking About HIV, is also available to spur discussion.
Want to test out the program? You can see Episode 1 below; go to HIVBigDeal.org to see the follow-up in Episode 2, "The Test." Additional episodes are currently in production.
Gebael wrote:
More than one simple reality, but a fact which life daily for the people reached of the HIV, certain person makes until derision as soon as we inform them our state, sometimes until the insult to be made a carapace, but forgets that the partner precede to it A cannot be not known as its state.
I consider that it is of my duty to be frank and tell with opening my states for you.
Gebael PL Parent
Jun 19 9:08 AM
Epiphany77 wrote:
It's a good thing to discuss, but my God, can we please start getting some gay inspired films/short films that has decent acting and writing?
Jun 18 6:12 AM
RyanH2O wrote:
thanks for the video mate. it is indeed a major concern facing humanity today.
Jun 16 5:33 PM
Sedative wrote:
Thanks for the article :)
Jun 16 8:04 AM
dpjr wrote:
Good work. The video raises the important issues. Hope more and more see it.
Jun 16 1:42 AM
Bagha wrote:
Richie Bear, you said "it's time to move on from still being a "gay's disease"..."
The statistical increases in all STDs make it clear that too many gay men >>are<< moving on, but in a dangerous way. Your point of view is right-on--except, in my mind, for the idea that it is time to "move on."
HIV is a scourge for >>all<< sexually active people, but the Gay community has learned key lessons all too well through trial by painful, heart-wrenching fire. Yet many young'ns are naturally inclined to detach from even-recent history, and many of us survivors would love to be free of the emotional burden of it all.
Our community is more likely than other demo-groups to pay attention to and benefit from this creative public-service effort—no harm in being thankful for that! But taking your point, RB, I would hope this becomes a model for similar videos directed at other risk groups. The idea of making this kind of public info-tainment available online is terrific, because >>anyone<< can >>privately<< view, review and share the videos. I think those viewers are more likely to then think and talk about all the subtle interpersonal aspects of such important communication.
Jun 16 1:14 AM
Richie_Bear wrote:
Statistics have proven time and again, in recent years... HIV is declining in the homosexual population, but in the heterosexual population, it's still increasing... Why then, do people generally hold to the stigma that gay men have HIV more than straight people. As a matter of fact, this video comes across as HIV being only a risk to gay people. And in come cases, it seems like they're getting across that being gay CAUSES HIV... does it bollocks!!! someone please back me up on this.
Like it says, it was discovered 25 years ago. And in fact, it's time to move on from still being a "gay's disease"...
Jun 15 2:25 PM
FeenixRizen wrote:
Back in 2004 I made a short film about a man that gets an HIV test. In the end, he learns about his status, but the audience waits in anticipation... !!! I'll post it sometime as soon as I conquer this iMac!!
Jun 13 2:13 PM
HotBrutha wrote:
Great video! Several good points made, without being preachy or alarmist. Everybody has to take responsibility for their own health, as well as informing/protecting those they have sex with.
I'm all for having a good time, but we MUST have common sense as well.
I hope this series of videos really does reach those who seem to forget that "treatable" does not mean "curable".
Jun 12 7:35 PM
zimster wrote:
Thanks for the vid and the site! xx
Jun 12 1:11 PM