Avatar Usage in HIV/AIDS Education with Gender and Ethnic Considerations

This project seeks to highlight recent work done at the University of Florida, in collaboration with the Alachua County, Florida Health Department to create avatar-based public health trainings for patients and public health workers, specific to HIV/AIDS.  In the new model, patients and public health workers seeking continuing education can access the information online through a website where frequently asked questions, ranging from testing, medications, and symptoms are answered by an expert public health worker through an avatar.

Relevant avatar studies, such as (Garcia, 2013) have promoted using avatars as a way to build marketing campaigns to help reduce risky behaviors, as well as (Gordon et al, 2009) which created online avatar mentors for those infected with HIV/AIDS.  This project, however, is unique in its approach as an online educational resource for patients and those in the health professions.  Further information will be provided on the technical building of the answer recordings, the avatars themselves, and the coupling of voice and avatar.  After creation, the original avatar was also replicated into 8 different ethnic and gender appearances, which also allowed for statistical tracking of avatars chosen in relation to the demographics of the viewer’s themselves provided through an initial demographic questionnaire.  Further evaluation, through survey results, of the website and avatar use will be provided, including responses representing participant’s reflections on using the avatars, its impact on motivation in accessing information related to HIV/AIDS, and preference of using avatars versus face-to face counselors.