The use of partner-seeking computer-mediated communication applications by young men that have sex with men (YMSM): uncovering human-computer interaction (HCI) design opportunities in HIV prevention

Abstract

HIV/AIDS incidence among young men who have sex with men (YMSM), both in the United States and globally, remains a public health priority. Using Activity Theory as a framework, and YMSM as a target population, we examine the intricate three-way relationship between safer sex (i.e., condom) negotiation, HIV status disclosure behaviors, and the use of computer-mediated communication applications as a means of seeking sexual partners, particularly casual partners (e.g., one night stands, hookups). We offer a human-computer interaction (HCI) research framework that could uncover more impactful design opportunities for HIV prevention.

Keywords:

• human computer interaction (HCI)
• HIV prevention
• location based social networking (LBSN)
• Activity Theory
• computer-mediated communication (CMC)

Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank Scott Rhodes, Mark Handel, and Jed Brubaker for their comments in maturing the ideas presented in this manuscript. Additional thanks goes to the participants of The Human Computer Interaction 2011 Consortium (HCIC) and the 2011 Summer Research Institute for the Science of Socio-Technical Systems for their reaction and feedback on this work. In addition, the authors would like to offer special thanks to Virginia Tech's Women and Minority Artists and Scholars Lecture Series and the Advance VT Mentoring Micro-Grants Program for providing funding in facilitating working meetings, public forums, and conference participation that proved vital in evolving this interdisciplinary effort. Dr. Bauermeister is supported by a NIH Career Development Award (K01-MH087242; HIV/AIDS risk among young men who use the Internet).