The number of people searching for information about HIV rocketed after Charlie Sheen appeared on television to confirm that he was HIV positive, research has shown. Analysis has reveled that 2.75 million more searches were performed in the hours after Sheen appeared on American television to tell the media he had been diagnosed with HIV.

Research also confirmed that more searches had been carried out related to condoms, HIV testing and the symptoms of HIV.

Conductors of the study discovered that there was an increase of 417 percent in the number of searches on Google for HIV. There was also a 75 percent increase in searches for condoms and 540 percent increase for searches about HIV testing.

Professor John Ayers from San Diego State University said that while it is unpleasant news for those directly affected, there are public health benefits that arise from issues like HIV receiving media attention. Mr Sheen’s candid interview may help to raise awareness of HIV and more people may wish to learn about the causes and symptoms of HIV. More people may also be inclined to get tested for HIV.

Speaking to Matt Lauer of NBC in November last year, Charlie Sheen admitted that he had spent a lot of money trying to conceal his diagnosis and decided to go public on US television to stop the blackmailing and storytelling. He was originally diagnosed four years ago.

While admitting that he didn’t want to be the “poster boy” for the disease, Sheen said he would do his bit to help others battling the same diagnosis and take opportunities to raise awareness of HIV.

It is well documented that celebrity stories can produce a noticeable ‘ripple effect’ in wider society. There has been an increase in women with a high risk of breast cancer opting for preventative surgery following Angelina Jolie’s mastectomy last year and the number of women attending cervical cancer screenings increased significantly following the death of Big Brother star Jade Goody in 2009.