Bad HIV apps and Miscellaneous apps

Bad HIV Apps

HIV-AIDS Scanner Prank

It is unclear for which audience this app was designed. I can hardly imagine someone over 10 years of age who would believe that HIV could be diagnosed by pressing a finger to the phone or find it amusing. That aside, the app is terrible. Not only does it have a primitive interface, it also is ridden with numerous adds popping up in the middle of the “scan”.

HIV/AIDS Online ELISA Test

The ELISA is an actual screening test for HIV which is done by blood sample. Don’t be fooled by the name of this app. It has nothing to do with the methodology. The developers used “ELISA” in the title to show how good their app is as a screening tool. Wrong. This is another terrible app, with adds popping up after EVERY question.

HIV/AIDS Test

The app consists of 16 screening questions and calculates the user's percentage risk of being infected. Again, it is full of annoying adds redirecting to Google Play. The “Chat” option was “moved” to another app, “WhatsNew”, which should be downloaded separately.

HIV/AIDS TEST

Do not confuse this with the app described above. This one has “TEST” in all capital letters in its title, but it is as bad as its namesake. “What’s HIV and Semptoms” almost made me cry. I’m a terrible speller myself, but there are programs that could help with it. There is a long text about HIV where more “semptoms” lurk. The “Test” option puzzled me. A sort of a question appeared: “Few days ago?” I assume, it asks when exposure took place. It doesn’t really matter, as the developers clearly did not bother with the most recent testing guidelines. The app is also infested with adds.

HIV ATLAS

The latest RSS news feed works well, but it is web-based. The rest of the sections are non-functional.

HIV-Testing Clinical Guideline

The app is produced by the New York Department of State. It redirects to the Clinical Education Initiative website where it would freeze whenever I tried to select something from the list of educational courses. Go directly to the website, and it will work fine.

HIV Aids & Medical Marijuana

This a YouTube-based app. Spare yourself a trouble and go directly there.

READ Ten Common Myths About HIV And AIDS

Miscellaneous apps

Hiver - HIV positive dating

The app requires registration (sigh…) but allows you to log in with a Google or Facebook account. The potential partners may choose to provide their health info (positive since when, last viral load, last CD4 count, taking ART). There are chats and private and public adds – the format is likely same as on the "regular” dating sites. I had no energy to test more conventional dating apps for comparison.

• Red Cross – HIV: The app is tri-lingual (English, Russian, Belarusian) and offers a training, glossary, and test. A good app but nothing special.
• HIV: Opportunistic Infections: Support residents! The app was created by a PGY-1 and PGY-2 x 2.
• HIV Explained: nothing special except for a tiny font.
• HIV Edge: requires lengthy registration.
• HIVPlus Treatment Guide: refused to work on my phone.