Older Adults, AIDS, and the Internet

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This two-year feasibility study is designed to examine sexual risk through Internet use among people over age 50 and to develop and pilot test the conceptual approach and methods needed to deliver HIV prevention programming to older adults on line. The project has five goals: (1) To identify and analyze the characteristics of general and age- specific sources currently available online that older adults can access to obtain AIDS information and HIV Prevention Assistance; (2) To identify and analyze the characteristics of existing Internet websites and IRC chatroom locations that offer older adults opportunities for online romantic/sexual relationships that may move offline to produce the potential for HIV risk; (3) To develop an epidemiological profile of older website and chatoom users in terms of their demographic characteristics, use of online health and HIV information sources, knowledge and attitudes about AIDS, and HIV-risk behavior with partners met both on and offline; (4) To develop, implement, and pilot test the online delivery of "Chatting About AIDS and Aging (CAAA)" programming as well as to finalize the methods acid measures needed to evaluate its effectiveness; and (5) To develop a Manual of Procedures along with an RO1 Application for support to conduct a full Phase II clinical (randomized) trial to evaluate the efficacy of providing online AIDS information and prevention services using the CAAA model for older adults. As a prevention approach, the CAAA model is likely to have wide appeal for AIDS providers interested in serving older adults. Internet programming can reach a global audience, typically needs few staff to maintain, in some instances can be delivered by volunteers, and usually requires little office space or equipment.