Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress hp
Sign In
Advertise with Us
PURITAN MEDICAL

ORASURE TECHNOLOGIES

OraSure Technologies develops, manufactures and distributes oral fluid diagnostic and collection devices and other te... read more Featured Products: More products

Download Mobile App




HIV Testing Peaks with Charlie Sheen Disclosure

By LabMedica International staff writers
Posted on 03 Jul 2017
A new study has found that record levels of HIV testing corresponded with celebrity actor Charlie Sheen's public disclosure of his being HIV-positive on a popular television program.

On November 17, 2015, Charlie Sheen disclosed he was HIV-positive on NBC's Today Show. More...
How might such celebrity announcements affect public health in the population at large? That's a question scientists and advocates grappled with in a previous study published in 2016 (JAMA Internal Medicine) led by John W. Ayers, professor at San Diego State University (San Diego, CA, USA). They found that Sheen's disclosure corresponded with millions of online search queries for HIV prevention and testing, even though neither Sheen himself nor public health leaders called for such action at the time.

In the current follow-up study, Prof. Ayers and colleagues found that not only did Sheen's disclosure lead people to seek information about HIV, it also corresponded with record levels of at-home rapid HIV testing sales. The team collected data on weekly sales of OraQuick, the only rapid in-home HIV test kit available in the United States, to investigate whether online queries (based on Google Trends data on searches with "test," "tests," or "testing" and "HIV") could be correlated with any uptick in HIV testing.

"Our strategy allowed us to provide a real-world estimation of the 'Charlie Sheen effect' on HIV prevention and contrast that effect with our past formative assessment using internet searches," said study coauthor Eric Leas, research associate in a SDSU-UCSD joint program.

The week of Sheen's disclosure coincided with a near doubling in OraQuick sales, which reached an all-time high. Sales remained significantly higher for the following 3 weeks, with 8,225 more sales than predicted earlier.

"In absolute terms, it's hard to appreciate the magnitude of Sheen's disclosure," said coauthor Benjamin Althouse, research scientist with the Institute of Disease Modeling (WA, USA), "However, when we compared Sheen's disclosure to other, traditional awareness campaigns the 'Charlie Sheen effect' is astonishing." OraQuick sales in the time period around Sheen's disclosure were nearly 8 times greater than sales around World Aids Day, one of the most well-known and longest-running HIV prevention awareness events.

The team’s findings also reinforce past analyses of Google search data. Using online searches alone the team was able to predict HIV testing sales within 7% for any given weeks. "Public health leaders are often cautious, choosing to wait for traditional data instead of taking reasonable action in response to novel data, like online searches," said Prof. Ayers, "Our findings underscore the value of big media data for yielding rapid intelligence to make public health actionable and more responsive to the public it serves."

"Public health must ready itself for the next Sheen-like event by embracing big media data for decision-making," said coauthor Mark Dredze, a Johns Hopkins University computer scientist, adding that the window still may not be fully closed on the Charlie Sheen effect.

"Our findings build on earlier studies that suggest empathy is easier to motivate others when the empathy is targeted toward an individual versus a group" said first author Jon-Patrick Allem, research scientist with University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine, "It is easy to imagine that a single individual, like Sheen, disclosing his HIV status may be more compelling and motivating for people than an unnamed mass of individuals or a lecture from public health leaders."

The study, by Allem JP et al, was published May 18, 2017, in the journal Prevention Science.


Gold Member
Veterinary Hematology Analyzer
Exigo H400
Serological Pipet Controller
PIPETBOY GENIUS
New
Gold Member
Serological Pipets
INTEGRA Serological Pipets
New
Clostridium Difficile Toxin A+B Combo Card Test
CerTest Clostridium Difficile Toxin A+B
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to LabMedica.com and get access to news and events that shape the world of Clinical Laboratory Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of LabMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of LabMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of LabMedica International in digital format
  • Free LabMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








DIASOURCE (A Biovendor Company)

Channels

Hematology

view channel
Image: CitoCBC is the world first cartridge-based CBC to be granted CLIA Waived status by FDA (Photo courtesy of CytoChip)

Disposable Cartridge-Based Test Delivers Rapid and Accurate CBC Results

Complete Blood Count (CBC) is one of the most commonly ordered lab tests, crucial for diagnosing diseases, monitoring therapies, and conducting routine health screenings. However, more than 90% of physician... Read more

Immunology

view channel
Image: A simple blood test could replace surgical biopsies for early detecion of heart transplant rejection (Photo courtesy of Shutterstock)

Blood Test Detects Organ Rejection in Heart Transplant Patients

Following a heart transplant, patients are required to undergo surgical biopsies so that physicians can assess the possibility of organ rejection. Rejection happens when the recipient’s immune system identifies... Read more

Pathology

view channel
Image: Pancreatic cancer diagnosis (Photo courtesy of World Journal of Gastroenterology)

AI-Driven Preliminary Testing for Pancreatic Cancer Enhances Prognosis

Pancreatic cancer poses a major global health threat due to its high mortality rate, with 467,409 deaths and 510,992 new cases reported worldwide in 2022. Often referred to as the "king" of all cancers,... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2025 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.