Rumination, Risk, and Response: Exploring sexual health-related anxiety among online sexual health chat service users Sarah Watt

Sarah Watt, Travis Salway, Lindsay Barton, Oralia Gómez-Ramírez, Aidan Ablona, Hsiu-Ju Chang, Heather Pedersen, Devon Haag, Mark Gilbert We used data from the SmartSexResource anonymous chat service to characterize expressions of anxiety among chat users and nurse responses to anxiety. Among chat users, we identified: pronounced anxiety and emotional distress, particularly regarding HIV (e.g. acquisition, symptoms); exaggerated appraisal of HIV-transmission risk in tandem with sex-related shame and stigma; and patterns of rumination in which concerns remained unresolved by HIV education or testing interventions. Chat users experiencing persistent anxiety may benefit from mental health supports. Online sexual health services provide opportunities to connect chat users with appropriate mental health services.

BC CDC Presenters

10/14/2020 9:15:00 PM