Users' Concerns Related to Online HIV Counseling in South Korea: A Descriptive Qualitative Study

• Published in: The Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care Vol. 31; no. 6; pp. 646 - 653
• Main Authors: Lee, Han Ju, Kang, Hee Sun, Singh-Carlson, Savitri, Kim, Kyung Sun
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States Lippincott Williams & Wilkins Ovid Technologies 01.11.2020
• Subjects: Acquired immune deficiency syndrome; Adult; AIDS; AIDS/HIV; Content analysis; Counseling; Counseling - methods; Counseling - statistics & numerical data; Emotional states; Female; HIV; HIV Infections - psychology; Human immunodeficiency virus; Humans; Information Seeking Behavior; Internet; Male; Nursing; Preventive medicine; Psychosocial factors; Psychosocial support; Qualitative Research; Republic of Korea; Risk behavior; Risk Factors; Sexual Behavior; Tests; Republic of Korea
• ISSN: 1055-3290; 1552-6917
• DOI: 10.1097/JNC.0000000000000193

This qualitative descriptive study was designed to identify HIV-related questions frequently asked by online counseling users seeking professional advice. Data were collected via a public online question/answer counseling website operated by the Gyeonggi-do branch of the Korean Association for AIDS Prevention. Data on users' questions regarding HIV were collected between January 1, 2017, and December 31, 2018. The online questions were then analyzed and divided into codes and categories. From the 559 questions submitted, content analysis identified four major categories related to HIV: (a) HIV testing, (b) self-perceived HIV risk and risky sexual behaviors, (c) positive and negative emotional states, and (d) treatment and prevention. This study indicates that online counseling can be used to provide tailored information related to HIV along with emotional and psychosocial support to reach different subgroups and to provide current information such as the use of pre-exposure prophylaxis for those seeking professional advice.