Table 1.
Characteristics of the studies included in the systematic review (n=26).
| Study | Study design | Study location |
Sample size |
Target population |
Intervention period/ duration |
Social media platforms |
Role of social media |
Interaction in-person or offline |
Step in the HIV cascade |
| Anand 2015 [26] | Observational | Thailand | 11,120 | MSM & transgender individuals | 2011.09-2014.12 (ongoing) | Facebook, Line, “Adam’s Love” online platform | Build communitya | Yes | HIV testing and linkage to care |
| Anand 2016 [27] | Observational | Thailand | 97 | MSM & transgender individuals | 2015.12-2016.05 | Facebook, Line, “Adam’s Love” online platform | Deliver kitsb | Yes | HIV testing |
| Bauermeister 2015 [28] | RCT | US | 130 | Young MSM | 30 days | Facebook; “Get connected” platform | Disseminatec | No | HIV testing |
| Brady 2014 [29] | Observational | UK | 17,629 | MSM | Phase 1: 2013.01- 2013.09; Phase 2: 2013.11- 2014.03 | Grindr, Gaydar, Manhunt, Facebook, Twitter | Deliver kits (blood) & disseminate | Yes | HIV testing and linkage to care |
| Buzdugan 2016 [30] | Observational | Mexico | 61 | MSM | 5 weeks | Online game app | Disseminate | Yes | HIV testing |
| Elliot 2012 [31] | Observational | UK | 321 | MSM | 2011.11.07- 2012.01.11 | Gaydar | Deliver kits | Yes | HIV testing |
| Elliot 2016 [32] | Observational | UK | 17,361 | MSM | 2012-2014 | Gaydar, Grindr, Facebook | Deliver kits (oral) | Yes | HIV testing and linkage to care |
| Horvath 2013 [33] | RCT | US | 123 | MSM living with HIV | 2011.02-2011.04 | Facebook; “Thrive with me” platform | Build community | No | ART adherence |
| Huang 2015 [34] | Observational | US | 16,328 (112 in survey) | MSM | Phase 1: 2014.04.17- 2014.05.29; Phase 2: 2014.10.13- 2014.11.11 | Grindr | Deliver kits (oral) | No | HIV testing |
| Hyden 2016 [35] | Observational study | US | 274 | MSM & transgender individuals | 2013.03-2017.12 (ongoing) | Facebook, Scruff, Grindr, Online game App | Disseminate | Yes | HIV testing |
| Jones 2015 [36] | Observational | UK | 305 | MSM | 2014.11.29- 2014.11.30 (2 days) | Facebook, Grindr, Squirt | Deliver kits (blood) | Yes | HIV testing |
| Ko 2013 [37] | Observational | Taiwan | 1037 | MSM | 2011.04-2011.09 | Build community | No | HIV testing | |
| Lampkin 2016 [38] | Observational | US | 903 | MSM | 2012.10-2013.03; 2013.10-2014.03 | Grindr | Disseminate | Yes | HIV testing |
| Mendizabal-Burastero 2016 [39] | Observational | Guatemala | 7244 | MSM | 2014.07-2015.12 | Facebook, Twitter, Grindr, WhatsApp | Disseminate | Yes | HIV testing and linkage to care |
| Munro 2016 [40] | Observational | Australia | MSM | Not mentioned | Grindr | Build community | No | HIV testing | |
| Patel 2016 [41] | RCT | India | 244 | MSM | 2015.02-2015.05 | Facebook, WhatsApp | Disseminate | No | HIV testing |
| Rhodes 2016 [42] | RCT | US | 1292 | MSM & transgender individuals | 2013.07-2014.06 | Adam4Adam, BlackGayChat, Craigslist, Gay.com | Build community | No | HIV testing |
| Rhodes 2011 [43] | Observational | US | 509 | MSM | 2009.02-2009.07 | Online chat room | Build community | No | HIV testing |
| Roberts 2015 [44] | Observational | Australia | 503 | MSM | 2013.11 & 2014.07 | Facebook, YouTube, Twitter | Deliver kits & disseminate | Yes | HIV testing |
| Sun 2015 [45] | Observational | US | 2709 | MSM | 2013.08-2014.02 | A4A Radar, Grindr, Jack’d, Scruff | Build community | No | HIV testing |
| Tang 2016 [46] | RCT | China | 721 | MSM & transgender individuals | 2014.09 | MSM dating websites | Develop materialsd | No | HIV testing |
| Washington 2016 [47] | RCT | US | 142 | Young black MSM | Not mentioned | Build community | No | HIV testing | |
| West 2015 [48] | Observational | UK | 55 | MSM | 2014.11 (5 days) | Grindr | Deliver kits | Yes | HIV testing |
| Young 2015 [49] | RCT | Peru | 556 | MSM | Phase 1: 2012.03.19- 2012.06.11; Phase 2: 2012.09.26- 2012.12.19 | Build community | Yes | HIV testing | |
| Young 2013 [50] | RCT | US | 112 | MSM | 2010.09-2011.01 | Build community & deliver kits | No | HIV testing | |
| Zou 2013 [51] | Observational | China | 429 | MSM | 2007.06-2007.08 | Gay dating & volunteer websites, QQ, online gay chatroom | Disseminate | Yes | HIV testing |
a“Build community” is when social media is used to establish virtual peer-mentored or online communities that promote HIV interventions.
b“Deliver kits” is when social media serves as a platform to deliver newly designed or extant evidence-based HIV intervention.
c“Disseminate” is when social media is used as a platform to disseminate HIV-related information.
d“Develop materials” is when social media is used to develop intervention materials for promoting HIV services.