Chinese Social Media for HCT Promotion in the Xiu Boy Campaign

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• Charles, Zhixiang Xu• FHI 360 China/Kunming Office

Background

• FHI 360 and our local partners in Yunnan and Guangxi, China had worked for two years to improve the quality of VCT services– Training, materials, clinic facilities, monitoring

• Uptake has increased, but remains low

How do people generally view HIV and HIV tests in their minds?

What an HIV test will give me?

What an HIV test will give me?

Give new, positive meanings to HIV testing services

Objectives

• Promote the “Xiu Ge Zhi Cheng” website

• Increase uptake of VCT services

• Increase willingness of VCT clients to share their experiences among MSM

Key promises

• If you are tested for HIV, you will:– Receive free, high-quality, fast service– Not be discriminated against by doctors and

counselors– Be able to demonstrate to the rest of the community

that you are an “exceptional” MSM

Characteristics of the activities

• Driven by community interests• Based on MSM strengths rather than weaknessess• Contain cues to action• Be linked to the campaign logo• Linked to key “exceptional/show”

image：– “Show your best self”– “Exceptional service”– “I’m exceptional”

Channels - www.xiuboy.com

– Useful, easy to find content– Free, anonymous self-risk assessment– Can “meet” our medical staff– Can see what our clients say about our services– If you have feedback about our services, can tell us directly

Channels

• “Xiu Ge Zhi Cheng” website• Other MSM websites• QQ groups• Chatrooms

Channels

• Peer education– One-on-one outreach– Activities at the DiC

• Special activities– Bathhouses– Other gay bars

• Competitions– Sports, performance, fashion

Video blogging and digital video competition

Sharing personal experiences

Results

• 9,461 site visits during the six-month campaign (7,082 unique site visitors)

• 961 site visitors completed risk assessment survey. • 48 videos were uploaded for the competition and

6,673 votes were cast during one month of voting• Increased traffic to testing information during the

competition• Uptake of HCT services increased by 26%, and

identified number of HIV+ cases increased by 22%.

Lessons learned for use of social media

• Social media platforms, an important channel for engaging hard-to-reach populations

• Audience-produced and controlled content can generate significant enthusiasm for behavior change activities

• More effective to work with younger staff/volunteers and younger MSM who are already comfortable with social media

• Challenges in rapidly evolving social media technology, and technical resources to maintain dynamic web-based contents for repeat visits

Let’s show, enjoy and keep healthy together

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THANK YOU!

Thanks go to Green City Rainbow and Spring Rain MSM Groups and MSM Communities in Kunming and Nanning Cities