Information Communication Technology (ICT) use among PLHIV in China: A promising but underutilized venue for HIV prevention and care

Abstract

In this paper, we report the use of information and communication technology (ICT) among people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Guangxi, China. A total 2987 participants were recruited from 12 sites with the highest number of cumulative HIV incidence, including 2 cities and 10 counties. A questionnaire survey was conducted to collect data on the participants’ social demographic characteristics, clinical outcomes, infections and coinfections, pattern of ICT use, and use and intention of using ICT in HIV and AIDS management. The data was analyzed using SPSS, version 24. The results showed 78.7% (n=2347) never used a computer, 86.9% (n=2587) had a cellphone, 32.7% (n=207) owned an email account, and 85.4% (n=544) owned a social media account. Less than half of the participants reported ever using ICTs for HIV management. Only 26.2% (n=266) were willing to join a web-based HIV prevention program. Findings of this study suggest that there was an imbalance in the participants’ ICT device ownership and choices of media platform. Social media appeared to be a potential platform for health intervention among this group. There was a low penetration of computer use among rural participants and a large disparity between the urban and rural participants, which indicated a need to expand the current infrastructure related to ICTs and increase people’s health literacy. Future research also needs to pay attention to security and trustworthiness of the intervention program to better promote ICTs as an efficient and reliable platform for HIV prevention and care.