Assessment of brand awareness for Sexosafe, a social marketing initiative targeting men who have sex with men

Introduction – Men who have sex with men (MSM) remain a population disproportionately affected by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Since 2016, Sexosafe has been the social marketing initiative for sexual health targeting MSM, coordinated by Santé publique France. Its goal is to encourage behaviors that promote sexual health. The objective of this article is to assess the awareness of this initiative. Methods – Various indicators were used for this evaluation, drawn from two sources: the 2022 media reports (i.e., reports on the purchase of advertising space) and the results of the 2023 Cross-Sectional Survey on Sex (Eras). Results – In 2022, the promotion of Sexosafe generated 57 million online ad impressions and reached 9.4 million social media accounts. 23,000 people came into contact with one of the 36 on-the-ground initiatives, and 1,300 interviews were conducted. According to the Eras survey, 31.5% of respondents are familiar with Sexosafe, of whom 86.9% recognize the website, 49% the social media accounts, and 19% the community outreach initiatives. Those familiar with the program tend to be more educated, more involved in the gay community and healthcare, more likely to have multiple sexual partners, and more likely to follow health recommendations. Conclusion – For the first time in 2023, Eras incorporated elements to evaluate the Sexosafe initiative, laying the groundwork for a more comprehensive evaluation framework that will be developed in the next edition in 2026. The number of sexual partners is positively correlated with awareness of the program, demonstrating that it reaches those most affected by HIV and STI prevention, who exhibit behaviors more conducive to sexual health. However, renewed attention must be paid to targeting young people, those born abroad, and those living far from major urban centers and the gay community, both online and on the ground.

Author(s): Chameau Zoé, Etien Nicolas, Velter Annie, Mercier Anna

Publishing year: 2024

Pages: 518-526

Weekly Epidemiological Bulletin, 2024, n° 23-24, p. 518-526

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