AIDSImpact.com:: - Santa Fe, USA 2011

Abstract #187 - Target group clients: time patterns in the use of Internet forums of sex workers’ clients in Germany
Authors: Presenting Author: Ms Harriet Langanke - University of Malmö
Additional Authors: Prof. Sven-Axel Mansson, Prof. Michal W. Ross,
Aim: HIV/AIDS and STI prevention primarily aims towards sex workers in Germany. But since their heterosexual male clients set up internet forums for their “hobby” during the last decade, they became a reachable target group for health education. Even though sex work is not illegal in Germany, little has been reported about the on- and off line behaviour of sex workers’ clients. Therefore, we have investigated whether there are certain temporal patterns in the use of German community based clients’ forums.
Method / Issue: We started with an analysis of the log file data of the internet project Sexsicher.de provided by the web server log file analysis program “Webalizer”. Sexsicher.de provides information on sexual health for men and is closely connected to dozen major sex workers’ clients’ forums, both commercial and community based. It generates 30% of its internet traffic through direct links (“referrers”) within the clients’ forums. In order to verify or falsify the findings in the Sexsicher.de data, we additionally analysed and compared log file data from a selection of four community based clients’ forums with more than 10,000 registered users each. Finally, in order to crosscheck the Webalizer data, we ran an analysis with the program Google Analytics for one of the four forums.
Results / Comments: Sexsicher.de data already revealed a clear pattern: Throughout the year, clients’ forums are frequented mostly on Mondays, whereas Saturdays are least frequented. Hourly usage data show a distinct peak for the afternoon between 17.00 and 18.00 hours local time. Crosschecking with the data provided by the Webalizer reports of the clients’ forums strongly confirmed the pattern of the Sexsicher.de data. Additional examination one of the forums’ log files with Google analytics again showed conformity: German clients of sex workers use their internet forums most frequently on Mondays and preferably in the afternoon.
Discussion: Focus groups of clients, sex workers and HIV/STI prevention experts discuss the meaning and impact of the peaks and dents in the log file data statistics. They also suggest how the findings of the log file analysis can be used for further tailored approaches to better reach out for clients. Interventions to promote clients’ sexual health and to improve their safer sex behaviour, e.g. on-line counselling or meet-the-expert chats, could be scheduled to most frequented times for a potentially higher number of immediate responses and for more participants in instant interaction.
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