Preventing HIV/AIDS: Can Web Communication Help?

Abstract

The AIDS 2014 conference in Melbourne declared 'that all women, men, transgender and intersex adults and children are entitled to equal rights and to equal access to HIV prevention, care and treatment, information and services' (AIDS 2014). Along with declarations in relation to gender equality, anti-discrimination and calls for changes to law to support the rights of sufferers around the world, the Melbourne Declaration renewed global support to fight HIV/AIDS. However it was not made explicit what role communication and education would play in relation to these admirable goals. One of the reasons could be the complex nature of any potential solution. Culture, society, economics and the environment play a part in the myriad factors that lead to infection. While there has been a global decline in the rate of HIV infections since 2001, this has not been uniform across the world. Indeed, there are two key factors that suggest that messages regarding HIV/AIDS awareness and prevention do not reach certain demographics. First, high rates of HIV infection continue to be recorded for young people aged between 15-24 (UN 2014, 35). Second, the rate of infection in developed countries such as Australia has been on the rise in recent years (The Kirby Institute 2013, 9). Despite targeted campaigns and improved health services, the rate of HIV infections in these groups implies that existing communication methods are lacking. So in this context, can the online environment offer any viable solutions? Despite the progress made in combating HIV/AIDS in the last decade, not much has changed in terms of how the problem is framed. As the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals come to a close in 2015, the same questions regarding HIV/AIDS are still being posed: what methodologies should be used, and how can technology play a part? What is missing in this picture is an examination of what role communications can play in contributing to the fight against HIV/AIDS. We believe that in in this context, online