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. 2009 Oct;77(1):20-6.
doi: 10.1016/j.pec.2009.01.002. Epub 2009 Feb 13.

PowerON: the use of instant message counseling and the Internet to facilitate HIV/STD education and prevention

David A Moskowitz  1 , Dan Melton, Jill Owczarzak
Affiliations

PowerON: the use of instant message counseling and the Internet to facilitate HIV/STD education and prevention

David A Moskowitz et al. Patient Educ Couns. 2009 Oct.

Abstract

Objective: In recent years, Internet-based or online counseling has emerged as an effective way to assess psychological disorders and discuss destructive behaviors with individuals or groups of individuals. This study explores the application of online counseling to HIV/STD risk-taking behavior among men who have sex with men (MSM).

Methods: PowerON, an organization that provides sexual health information to MSM exclusively online, used instant message technology to counsel MSM in real time through computer-mediated means. A sample of 279 transcripts of instant message exchanges between PowerON counselors and Gay.com users were recorded and qualitatively analyzed.

Results: Approximately 43% of the instant message sessions discussed information about HIV/STD testing. Risk-taking behaviors were addressed in 39% of the sessions. Information about HIV/STDs and general counseling were given in 23% and 18% of the counseling sessions, respectively.

Conclusion: The data showed these instant message sessions to be a potentially feasible forum for HIV/STD counseling.

Practice implications: Information ordinarily disseminated at health clinics could be successfully distributed through the Internet to MSM.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interests

NonProfit Technologies, LLC currently holds the license for PowerON. NonProfit Technologies, LCC was not involved in the coding or analysis of any of the data reported in this article and in no way influenced the results. The company did not suggest any of the conclusions or practice implications discussed in this article. Data coding and analysis was given to an independent researcher (David Moskowitz) who had no financial, personal or other relationships with NonProfit Technologies, LLC within three years of beginning the research. Thus, there were no actual or perceivable conflicts of interest.

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