HIV and Craigslist Link? Personal Ads On Craigslist Linked To Increase In H.I.V. Cases, Says Study
The entry of ad website Craigslist into a community has been linked to a double-digit surge in the reported cases of human immunodeficiency virus.
In a research published in the December issue of MIS Quarterly, Craiglist's entry into one particular market was found to have resulted to a 15.9-percent increase in reported H.I.V. cases, the University of Minnesota reported on Friday.
Mapped at the national level, the website can be linked to over 6,000 HIV cases yearly whose treatment cost is estimated between $62 million and $65.3 million.
"Our study results suggest that there is a new social route of H.I.V. transmission that is taking place in this digital era," said Jason Chan, assistant professor of Information and Decision Sciences at the Carlson School of Management.
In defense of the website, Chan said: "I actually think that the creators of Craigslist had no intent of harming society. They came in with good intentions."
"At the same time, they did not anticipate that users could use the features in an unexpected way with unintended consequences," he said.
For the study, Chan and Professor Anindya Ghose of New York University's Stern School of Business analyzed data in 33 states from 1999 to 2008.
The researchers found that the increase in cases was influenced by ads in Craigslist's personals sections -- not the site's escort service ads -- after holding a series of tests to eliminate other possible causes that might be driving the HIV trends such as increased testing in a community.
The results are in line with existing studies showing that "Internet-facilitated sex workers are less likely to participate in risky sexual practices with clients," said the university.
The study provides a rich data that could help authorities in reducing disease transmission via classified ad sites.
Chan advised policymakers: "Health care practitioners and policymakers have to look more closely at online platforms to assess how its usage may facilitate the spread of H.I.V. and S.T.Ds across the country."
