JOSE NIKKI ALLOSO JERIC CRIS JACOB KARL KEVIN ORFANO

Social Network Sites or Social Networking Services (the terms can be used interchangeably) Enables users to create profile, define a personal network, make connections to other people online
Example: FACEBOOK, TWITTER, MYSPACE, PLANET ROMEO, MANJAM, GRINDR

MANY PEOPLE CAN NOW MEET PERSONALLY

SEEK FOR A PARTNER

ENGAGE TO SEXUAL BEHAVIORS

STI HIV AIDS

Access to the Internet has INCREASED dramatically, accompanied by a corresponding growth in the use of social networking sites for meeting sexual partners. It has become particularly popular among MALE HOMOSEXUALS who use a range of sites to meet other men for sexual encounters.

Recent researchers shows that

MSM (MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN)

They are male persons who engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, REGARDLESS of how they identify themselves (e.g. gay/bisexual/male with unsure identities The term was created in the 1990s

Many researchers have identified links between the internet and sexual risk behaviors but some findings have been mixed. The researchers of this present study, need therefore to reconsider how we think about gay men, the social media and sexual behaviors to give us understanding on how social media impacts their sexual behaviors.

To qualitatively and quantitatively identify the impact of SOCIAL MEDIA on the life and sexual behaviors of MEN WHO HAVE SEX WITH MEN (MSM) in relation to the prevalence of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections particularly in Legazpi City.

This study will try to explore the qualitative and quantitative data among MSM about how the social networking sites impact their lives and behaviors. More specifically, this analysis sought to address the following questions: 1. How does the social media impact the personal, social and occupational lives of MSM in relation to their sexual behaviors?

2. How does the social media, as a venue to meet sex partners, compare to other venues (bars, clubs, the gym, etc.) in terms of access to partners and sexual risk? 3. How does the respondents perceived the impact of social media on the prevalence of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections? 4. What are the positive and negative outcomes, if any, of using the social network as a venue to meet sex partners? 5. What strategies have MSM developed to limit any negative consequences?

This study will focus on the impact of social media on the life and sexual behavior of selected men who have sex with men (MSM) in relation to the prevalence of HIV, AIDS, and other sexually transmitted infections in Legazpi City. The researchers will utilize a qualitative and quantitative analysis using an interview, Focus Group Discussion and a questionnaire-checklist.

A historical research will also be employed to analyze the extent of impact of social media to the trend of prevalence of HIV, AIDS and sexually transmitted infections in Legazpi City from the year 2004-2012. The social media being referred to in this manuscript pertain to Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and other three (3) identified gay social networking sites namelyPlanet Romeo, Manjam and Grindr. The respondents of this study will be coming from those social networking sites identified by the researchers and currently residing in Legazpi City.

The discussions in this study will be limited only to the impact of social media on the personal, social and occupational lives of MSM in relation to their sexual behaviors which include masturbation, fellatio (oral sex), unprotected anal sex, anal rimming, multiple sex partner and group sex.
The setting of the study is in Legazpi City and the time frame of this research activity is March 2013 to September 2013.

Provincial Health Office. This study aims to give them valuable insights about the impact of social media on the prevalence of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections in Legazpi City which is under the province of Albay. Furthermore, policies and memorandum may be issued along the enhancement of appropriate program implementation in disease control and prevention related to sexually transmitted infections and HIV-AIDS.

Department of Health. The officials of the Department of Health may use the results of this study as basis for adopting policies on matters of HIV, AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections monitoring, surveillance, prevention and control. Department of Education and Commission on Higher Education. With this study, these departments may be influenced to include the importance of awareness on how social media influence the lives and sexual behaviours of the people especially with the MSM groups.

LGBTs Society. This study is very significant to the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender as this will create an awareness on how the social media influence their sexual behaviours. With this, the LGBTs may be influenced to think of a way on how they will utilize the social media as a means of fighting the spread of HIV-AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases other than using social media as a means of meeting people.

Researcher Themselves. The researcher themselves are always on the go for the noble works intended to the improvement of the service of the health care workers. Being a member of the health team, the findings of the study could be very beneficial to our government agencies and the community in general.

Future Researchers. This study will provide them with significant information regarding the impact of social media to health especially to the spread of HIV, AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections. This may trigger their interests to pursue similar studies in other settings or to conduct other studies related to this present one. The methodology and the instrument utilized may serve as additional contributions to the field of research.

Impact. Defined as to have an effect. For this study, this refers to the effect of social media on the sexual health behaviors of men who have sex with men who were purposively selected by the researchers. The impact is qualitatively measured based on the online survey and interview and a Focus Group Discussion among the participants from LGBT Society of Legazpi City.

Social Media. Social media include social network sitesalso called social networking sites and social networking services. The terms are often used interchangeably. Computers are used to access and interact via social media and social networking sites. It enable users to create a profile; define online a personal network; make visible their online connections to other people, communities, and organizations; engage in dialogue; and share, remix, and create media. In this study, it refers to social networks such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, PlanetRomeo and Grindr whch are being utilized by the respondents in making connections with other sexual partners.

Sexual Health. A state of complete physical, mental and social well-being in relation to sexuality. It requires a positive and respectful approach to sexuality and sexual relationships, as well as the possibility of having pleasurable and safe sexual experiences, free of coercion, discrimination and violence. (WHO, 1975) Sexual Behavior. It refers to any physical activity involving the body as a means of expressing erotic feelings such as kissing, hugging, manual stimulation of the genitals, masturbation and oralgenital contact. In this study, it refers to the sexual activities of the men who have sex with men which includes masturbation, oral sex, anal sex or bareback and anal rimming.

Legazpi City. It is a 1st Class City located in the Province of Albay which is comprised of different barangays. It serves as the main city of the province where most of trade and tourism activities happen. It is the setting of this study. Men Who Have Sex with Men. (abbreviated as MSM, also known as males who have sex with males). They are male persons who engage in sexual activity with members of the same sex, regardless of how they identify themselves; many men hoose not to (or cannot for other reasons) accept sexual identities of homosexual or bisexual. Thus, the term was created in the 1990s in order to study the spread of disease among men who have sex with men, regardless of identity.

This study will use a qualitative research design. In a qualitative study, the researcher obtains a wealth of descriptive information and examines relationship among different phenomena, or trends over time. In addition, a historical research will be employed. According to Polit and Beck (2000), a historical research is defined as the systematic collection and critical evaluation of data relating to past occurrences.

In the context of a qualitative analysis, this study will discuss the impact of social media on the personal, social and occupational life of the respondents in relation to their sexual behaviors.
As a historical research, this intends to collate and evaluate the data pertaining to the prevalence of HIV, AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections in Legazpi City occurring from the year 2004 up to 2012. From this data, the researcher will establish an analysis on how social media impact on these incidences of HIV-AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The primary source of data will be coming from the qualitative responses to the questionnaires and interviews by the respondents taken from different social networking sites which include Facebook, Twitter, MySpace and three (3) identified gay social networking sites namelyPlanet Romeo, Manjam and Grindr.

In addition, a Focus Group Discussion with the selected members of the LGBT Society of Legazpi City will be initiated to supplement and verify the responses of the anonymous respondents from the social networking sites. According to Krumar, the Focus Group Discussion is a rapid assessment, semistructured data gathering method in which a purposively selected set of participants gather to discuss issues and concerns based on a list of key themes drawn up by the researcher or a facilitator.

However, the data pertaining to the incidences of HIV, AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections from the years 2004-2012 will be retrieved from the City Health Office and Provincial Health Office. Additional supplementary data will be asked from the HIV-AIDS Council of Albay who is responsible in the monitoring, surveillance and prevention of HIV, AIDS and other sexually transmitted infection in the province. The secondary sources are data that will be taken from books, internet, journals, newspaper accounts and studies related or similar to the study at hand.

This study will utilize two groups of respondents. The first group will be the identified gay homosexuals from different social networking sites (i.e. Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Planet Romeo, Manjam and Grindr). Their sexual orientation will be based on their sexual status posted on their profile and will be verified accordingly during the online interview. They will be randomly selected online purposively. The second group of respondents will be the participants coming from the LGBT Society of Legazpi City also known as the maGAYon LGBT Society who will be invited for a Focus Group Discussion. These respondents will be purposively selected by the researchers.

An online questionnaire-checklist will be structured as the main data-gathering tool. It will be prepared in such a way that it will adequately elicit the desired data to answer the sub-problems. Said instrument will be made only after making a thorough review of literature and materials related to the subject matter. Informal interviews will also be conducted with some personas considered authorities in the field. These will provide the researchers with substantial inputs in the preparation of the tool.

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