The Use of Facebook by LVCT Health to Disseminate HIV-Related Information to Young People in Homa Bay Town

Homa Bay Town continues to bear a heavy burden of HIV and AIDS among its young residents. A recent survey indicates that Homa Bay County has an HIV prevalence rate of 19.1 percent, significantly higher than the national average of 4.5 percent. While most research focuses on community and health facility interventions, few studies have examined how organizations leverage Facebook to reduce the HIV burden. This paper, therefore, explores how LVCT Health uses its Facebook page to disseminate HIV-related information to young people in Homa Bay town. To achieve this objective, the study adopts a case study design within a qualitative research approach. Purposive sampling was used to identify participants, including 24 young residents of Homa Bay, 4 digital opinion leaders, and 4 staff members from the communications and HIV program teams at LVCT Health. Empirical data were collected through focus group discussions and in-depth interviews, and were analyzed thematically. The findings are presented in a narrative format. Based on these findings, the paper contributes to extant literature by demonstrating how organizations can leverage Facebook as a digital infrastructure to improve access to HIV information in high-prevalence regions.