America
Craigslist hookups behind rise in HIV: Study
New York, Feb 1
Entry of the popular website
Craigslist in a community is linked to 16 percent increase in HIV in
that area, say researchers, including an Indian-origin professor Anindya
Ghose from New York University's Stern School of Business.
"Our
study results suggest that there is a new social route of HIV
transmission that is taking place in this digital era," said Jason Chan,
assistant professor at Carlson School of Management.
"Health
care practitioners and policymakers have to look more closely at online
platforms to assess how its usage may facilitate the spread of HIV and
STDs (sexually transmitted diseases) across the country," Chan added.
The researchers based their claims after analysing data in 33 states from 1999 to 2008.
After
conducting a series of tests to eliminate other possible causes that
might be driving the HIV trends such as increased testing in a
community, the researchers discovered that the upward shift was
influenced by advertisements in Craigslist's personal sections, not the
site's escort service ads.
"I actually think that the creators of
Craigslist had no intent of harming society. They came in with good
intentions," Chan noted.
"At the same time, they did not
anticipate that users could use the features in an unexpected way with
unintended consequences," he added.
The study was published in the journal MIS Quarterly.