Examining the digital connections

Comprehensive HIV knowledge, awareness of antiretroviral therapy, and digital media use among adolescents and young adults in a middle-income country

Bibliographic Data

ID19439837
AuthorsXavier Javines Bilon (0000-0001-6270-3842, University of the Philippines Diliman, corresponding author)
Year2025
Volume37
Issue9
Pages1576-1586
Publication date2025-09-02
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessNo
TypeARTICLE
VenueAIDS Care (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0954-0121 • E-ISSN: 1360-0451
PublisherInforma UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1080/09540121.2025.2534121
PMID40685520
OpenAlexW4412506229
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited27

There remains a gap in identifying factors that influence HIV knowledge among younger people in middle-income countries who report higher Internet access and social media use. In this study, the association of use of two types of digital media – Internet media and social media – for information about sex with comprehensive HIV knowledge and ART awareness among youth aged 15–24 was measured. Data from the 2021 Young Adult Fertility and Sexuality Study in the Philippines (n = 10,949) were used, and the adolescent health literacy framework was adopted to obtain parsimonious weighted logistic regression models. Digital media use for information about sex yielded varied results concerning improved comprehensive HIV knowledge and ART awareness. Social media use was only associated with improved comprehensive HIV knowledge (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.265, p = .002), but not ART awareness (aOR = 1.244, p = .063). Meanwhile, the use of Internet media was not associated with improved comprehensive HIV knowledge (aOR = 1.105, p = .335) nor ART awareness (aOR = 1.025, p = .832). Recommendations on how public health initiatives could maximize the potential of digital media to enhance HIV awareness were discussed

Antiretroviral therapy · Developing country · Digital media · Economic growth · Economics · Family medicine · Low and middle income countries · Viral load · World Wide Web · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health · Computer Science · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions · ICT in Developing Communities · Medicine · Psychology

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