Ybarra Michele L, Kiwanuka Julius, Emenyonu Nneka, Bangsberg David R
Internet Solutions for Kids, Irvine, California, United States of America.
PLoS Med. 2006 Nov;3(11):e433. doi: 10.1371/journal.pmed.0030433.
The Internet is fast gaining recognition as a powerful, low-cost method to deliver health intervention and prevention programs to large numbers of young people across diverse geographic regions. The feasibility and accessibility of Internet-based health interventions in resource-limited settings, where cost-effective interventions are most needed, is unknown. To determine the utility of developing technology-based interventions in resource-limited settings, availability and patterns of usage of the Internet first need to be assessed.
The Uganda Media and You Survey was a cross-sectional survey of Internet use among adolescents (ages 12-18 years) in Mbarara, Uganda, a municipality mainly serving a rural population in sub-Saharan Africa. Participants were randomly selected among eligible students attending one of five participating secondary day and boarding schools in Mbarara, Uganda. Of a total of 538 students selected, 93% (500) participated. Of the total respondents, 45% (223) reported ever having used the Internet, 78% (175) of whom reported going online in the previous week. As maternal education increased, so too did the odds of adolescent Internet use. Almost two in five respondents (38% [189]) reported already having used a computer or the Internet to search for health information. Over one-third (35% [173]) had used the computer or Internet to find information about HIV/AIDS, and 20% (102) had looked for sexual health information. Among Internet users, searching for HIV/AIDS information on a computer or online was significantly related to using the Internet weekly, emailing, visiting chat rooms, and playing online games. In contrast, going online at school was inversely related to looking for HIV/AIDS information via technology. If Internet access were free, 66% (330) reported that they would search for information about HIV/AIDS prevention online.
Both the desire to use, and the actual use of, the Internet to seek sexual health and HIV/AIDS information is high among secondary school students in Mbarara. The Internet may be a promising strategy to deliver low-cost HIV/AIDS risk reduction interventions in resource-limited settings with expanding Internet access.
互联网正迅速成为一种强大且低成本的方式，用于向不同地理区域的大量年轻人提供健康干预和预防项目。在最需要具有成本效益的干预措施的资源有限环境中，基于互联网的健康干预措施的可行性和可及性尚不清楚。为了确定在资源有限的环境中开发基于技术的干预措施的效用，首先需要评估互联网的可用性和使用模式。
乌干达媒体与你调查是对乌干达姆巴拉拉市（主要服务撒哈拉以南非洲农村人口的一个城市）12至18岁青少年互联网使用情况的横断面调查。参与者是从乌干达姆巴拉拉五所参与调查的中学日制和寄宿制学校的符合条件的学生中随机选取的。在总共选取的538名学生中，93%（500名）参与了调查。在所有受访者中，45%（223名）报告曾使用过互联网，其中78%（175名）报告在前一周上网。随着母亲教育程度的提高，青少年使用互联网的几率也随之增加。近五分之二的受访者（38%[189名]）报告已经使用过计算机或互联网搜索健康信息。超过三分之一（35%[173名]）曾使用计算机或互联网查找有关艾滋病毒/艾滋病的信息，20%（102名）查找过性健康信息。在互联网用户中，在计算机上或在线搜索艾滋病毒/艾滋病信息与每周使用互联网、发送电子邮件、访问聊天室和玩网络游戏显著相关。相比之下，在学校上网与通过技术查找艾滋病毒/艾滋病信息呈负相关。如果互联网接入免费，66%（330名）报告他们会在线搜索艾滋病毒/艾滋病预防信息。
在姆巴拉拉的中学生中，使用互联网寻求性健康和艾滋病毒/艾滋病信息的意愿和实际使用率都很高。在互联网接入不断扩大的资源有限环境中，互联网可能是提供低成本艾滋病毒/艾滋病风险降低干预措施的一个有前景的策略。
