Students at FAMU, the University of Florida, and the University of South Florida are being asked to talk about a very sensitive subject this summer: their online sexual behavior.
Eric Buhi, a health education professor at USF, is researching the relationship between sexual activity initiated through online connections and HIV/AIDS among college students. His study is called: “Seeking out sex online: A novel 3-campus research study of HIV and other sexual health risks among young people.”
"Little is known about whether cultivating sexual relationships online puts college students at greater risk for STDs and HIV," Buhi told the Gainesville Sun. "College students are an important population on which to focus - they are the heaviest Internet users and early adopters of new technologies."
The study is funded by a $15,000 from the Florida Center for AIDS Research. Surveys were distributed in May and are anonymous. Buhi expects to publish his results in the fall.
According to the recent estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 73 percent of new HIV infections were in men, 53 percent were acquired through homosexual intercourse, and 45 percent were in African Americans. The incidence rate per 100,000 people was seven times higher in blacks and three times higher in Hispanics than in whites. It was highest in people in their 30s, although people younger than 30 accounted for nearly 34 percent of new infections.
Camye Edwards, director of prevention and outreach services for Big Bend Cares, believes one factor behind the rise of HIV/AIDS among young people is the lack of a national educational campaign that is as strong as the earlier one in the ‘80s.
“The way I see it is that it has to be a complete campaign applied again,” she said.
Edwards believes young people are not taking precautions when it comes to sex. Most of the people infected from HIV/AIDS in the Tallahassee area are infected through sexual intercourse.
“The individuals that are infected now were not born at the time of the epidemic,” Edwards said. “When you grow up hearing something or seeing something, then you don’t think it is that dangerous.”
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Eric Buhi, a health education professor at USF, is researching the relationship between sexual activity initiated through online connections and HIV/AIDS among college students. His study is called: “Seeking out sex online: A novel 3-campus research study of HIV and other sexual health risks among young people.”
"Little is known about whether cultivating sexual relationships online puts college students at greater risk for STDs and HIV," Buhi told the Gainesville Sun. "College students are an important population on which to focus - they are the heaviest Internet users and early adopters of new technologies."
The study is funded by a $15,000 from the Florida Center for AIDS Research. Surveys were distributed in May and are anonymous. Buhi expects to publish his results in the fall.
According to the recent estimates by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 73 percent of new HIV infections were in men, 53 percent were acquired through homosexual intercourse, and 45 percent were in African Americans. The incidence rate per 100,000 people was seven times higher in blacks and three times higher in Hispanics than in whites. It was highest in people in their 30s, although people younger than 30 accounted for nearly 34 percent of new infections.
Camye Edwards, director of prevention and outreach services for Big Bend Cares, believes one factor behind the rise of HIV/AIDS among young people is the lack of a national educational campaign that is as strong as the earlier one in the ‘80s.
“The way I see it is that it has to be a complete campaign applied again,” she said.
Edwards believes young people are not taking precautions when it comes to sex. Most of the people infected from HIV/AIDS in the Tallahassee area are infected through sexual intercourse.
“The individuals that are infected now were not born at the time of the epidemic,” Edwards said. “When you grow up hearing something or seeing something, then you don’t think it is that dangerous.”
You might also be interested in: Black Church crusade against HIV/AIDS
Miami pastor fights HIV/AIDS
The most important topic concerning the Black Community today and not one comment? We need, as a people to get our heads out of the sky and deal with earth
ReplyDeleteThis is such an important conversation to have, especially with how much dating and meeting up now happens online. The stats from the CDC are honestly eye-opening, especially the disparities among different groups and ages. I agree with Camye Edwards—the lack of strong educational campaigns today is a big issue. Most young adults didn’t live through the crisis of the ‘80s, so there’s no real sense of urgency for them.
ReplyDeleteIt’s easy to forget that HIV/AIDS is still a very real risk, especially when hookup culture and online dating are so normalized. I hope more colleges will support studies like this and bring back strong prevention education. It’s not just about scaring people—it’s about making sure everyone has the facts and knows how to protect themselves. Thanks for sharing this update and bringing attention to something that really needs it.