Assessing ChatGPT's Potential in HIV Prevention Communication: A Comprehensive Evaluation of Accuracy, Completeness, and Inclusivity.

With the advancement of artificial intelligence(AI), platforms like ChatGPT have gained traction in different fields, including Medicine. This study aims to evaluate the potential of ChatGPT in addressing questions related to HIV prevention and to assess its accuracy, completeness, and inclusivity. A team consisting of 15 physicians, six members from HIV communities, and three experts in gender and queer studies designed an assessment of ChatGPT. Queries were categorized into five thematic groups: general HIV information, behaviors increasing HIV acquisition risk, HIV and pregnancy, HIV testing, and the prophylaxis use. A team of medical doctors was in charge of developing questions to be submitted to ChatGPT. The other members critically assessed the generated responses regarding level of expertise, accuracy, completeness, and inclusivity. The median accuracy score was 5.5 out of 6, with 88.4% of responses achieving a score ≥ 5. Completeness had a median of 3 out of 3, while the median for inclusivity was 2 out of 3. Some thematic groups, like behaviors associated with HIV transmission and prophylaxis, exhibited higher accuracy, indicating variable performance across different topics. Issues of inclusivity were identified, notably the use of outdated terms and a lack of representation for some communities. ChatGPT demonstrates significant potential in providing accurate information on HIV-related topics. However, while responses were often scientifically accurate, they sometimes lacked the socio-political context and inclusivity essential for effective health communication. This underlines the importance of aligning AI-driven platforms with contemporary health communication strategies and ensuring the balance of accuracy and inclusivity.

HIV rapid testing in community and outreach sites: results of a nationwide demonstration project in Italy.

BACKGROUND: Globally the access to HIV testing has greatly increased over the past 30 years. Nonetheless, a high proportion of people living with HIV remains undiagnosed, even in resource rich countries. To increase the proportion of people aware of their HIV serostatus and their access to medical care, several strategies have been proposed including HIV rapid test programs offered outside health facilities. The aim of this project was to evaluate the feasibility and efficacy of the HIV rapid testing offered in community and outreach settings in Italy. METHODS: We conducted a national demonstration project on HIV rapid tests offered in community and outreach settings, including nongovernmental organization (NGO) facilities, primary care services for migrants and low-threshold services or mobile units for drug users (DU services). HIV rapid test on oral fluid (OraQuick®; Orasure Technologies) was anonymously offered to eligible people who presented themselves at the selected sites. Those with reactive results were referred to a specialized outpatient unit for confirmatory testing and medical care. RESULTS: Over a period of six months a total of 2949 tests were performed and 45.2% of individuals tested had not been previously tested. Overall 0.9% (27/2949) of tested people had a preliminary positive test. In NGO facilities the positivity rate was 1%. All subjects who performed their confirmatory test were confirmed as positive. In services for migrants the positivity rate was 0.5 and 80% were referred to care (with 1 false positive test). In DU services we observed the highest positivity rate (1.4%) but the lowest linkage to care (67%), with 1 false positive test. CONCLUSION: Our project showed that the offering of an HIV rapid testing program in community and outreach settings in Italy is feasible and that it may reach people who have never been tested before, while having a significant yield in terms of new HIV diagnoses as well.

Risk Awareness as a Key Determinant of Early Vaccine Uptake in the Mpox Vaccination Campaign in an Italian Region: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

BACKGROUND: we aim to investigate attitudes toward vaccination by analyzing empirical factors associated with vaccine acceptance in the Lazio region mpox vaccination (MpoxVax) campaign in Italy. METHODS: all subjects who accessed MpoxVax and signed the informed consent were prospectively enrolled in the MPOX-VAC Study and were asked to fill out an anonymous survey. Two endpoints were selected: 'delayed acceptance' and 'early acceptance', defined as access for vaccination >60 and ≤30 days from the vaccination campaign starting (VCS), respectively. RESULTS: over the study period, 1717 individuals underwent vaccination: 129 (7%) > 60 [1588 (92.5%) ≤ 60] and 676 (60%) ≤ 30 days from VCS. A bisexual orientation, a lower education level and a worse perceived physical and mental health were associated with delayed access to vaccination. Being pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) users and, marginally, HIV positive; having a high perceived risk for mpox infection; and reporting high-risk behaviors like the use of recreational drugs/chems, sex under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol and having a higher number of principal sexual partners, were associated with early access to vaccination. CONCLUSIONS: according to our data, risk awareness was a major determinant of early MpoxVax acceptance. Conversely, worse perceived health status and a low educational level were critical factors associated with delayed vaccination.

Perceptions of Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and acceptability of HPV vaccine among men attending a sexual health clinic differ according to sexual orientation.

Our aim was to gain a better understanding of the knowledge about Human Papillomavirus (HPV) infection and attitudes toward the HPV vaccine among men at risk for sexually transmitted infections (STI). A self-administered questionnaire was completed by attendees of the largest STI Center in Rome, Italy, from April to June 2013. Determinants of vaccine acceptability were investigated using a Structured Equation Model. A total of 423 males participated in the survey: 296 (70.0%) men who have sex with men (MSM) and 127 (30.0%) men who have sex with women (MSW). Only one half of the participants knew that HPV is the cause of genital warts (56.9% of MSM vs. 49.5% of MSW, p=0.28). Even less were aware that HPV causes cancer in men (37.2% vs. 27.3%, p=0.08). MSW were more likely to indicate HPV as a cause of cervical cancer (80.8% vs. 69.3%, p=0.03) and to have heard about the vaccine (58.3 vs. 43.6%, p=0.01). Moreover, 72.1% of MSM and 70.3% of MSW were willing to be vaccinated. A rise of one-unit in the HPV awareness score increased the OR of vaccine acceptability among MSM by 25% (OR 1.25, 95%CI: 1.05-1.49; p=0.013). Differently, only attitudes had a relevant effect on willingness to be vaccinated among MSW (OR 3.32, 95%CI: 1.53-7.17; p=0.002). Efforts should be made to maximize awareness of HPV, especially as a causative agent of genital warts and male cancers, and to reinforce positive attitudes toward vaccination among men visiting STI centers.