Black Americans use blogs to discuss sensitive health issues — like the spread of HIV and AIDS — that often are not broached publicly, according to a Pennsylvania State University researcher.
Lynette Kvasny, an associate professor of information sciences and technology at Penn State, first noticed the trend when she read a blog conversation spurred by “Out of Control: AIDS in Black America,” a 2006 report by ABC News. For her study, “An African-American Weblog Community’s Reading of AIDS in Black America,” she, along with her co-author, C. Franklin Igwe, also of Penn State, analyzed 128 blog responses to the ABC News report.
The duo paid particular attention to what writers said were the chief causes of the spread of HIV and AIDS. The three most commonly cited factors, they said, were “ineffective leadership, black cultural practices, and individual behaviors.”
The study — which was published recently by the Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication — also examines the style and impact of blog conversations about HIV and AIDS. While only a fraction of the black community reads blogs, Ms. Kvasny and Mr. Igwe said, the sites can leave a large imprint, since many readers end up discussing public-health issues with friends and family members. —David DeBolt
