11th International AIDS Impact ConferenceSeptember 30, 2013, 14:30-16:00pm

Session: Information Technologies

Developing an HIV prevention text messaging-based intervention for adolescent gay,

bisexual, and queer males: Online focus groups to confirm program components

Tonya Prescott BA1

Brian Mustanski PhD2

L. Zachary DuBois PhD 2

Michele Ybarra MPH PhD1

1Center for Innovative Public Health Research, San Clemente, California, USA

2 Impact Program, Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Acknowledgements

The project described is supported by Award Number R01 MH096660 from the National Institute of Mental Health. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institute of Mental Health.

We would like to thank the entire G2G Team from Center for Innovative Public Health Research and Northwestern University. We’d also like to acknowledge the contributions of our consultants, Drs. Sheana Bull and Jeffrey Parsons. Finally, we thank the participants for their time and willingness to participate in this study.

Background

HIV among adolescent males who have sex with males (AMSM):

AMSM account for almost 70% of HIV diagnoses among all young people in the US (CDC, 2010)

AMSM are alone in facing increasing incidence of HIV/AIDS (CDC, 2008)

Few HIV prevention programs are targeted specifically towards gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) adolescents

Mobile phone use: 78% of US teens report mobile phone ownership (Madden,

2013)

75% of US teens text and 63% exchange text messages daily (Lenhart, 2012)

Guy2Guy (G2G): Brief program overview

Text-messaging-based healthy sexuality and HIV-prevention program specifically for GBQ male adolescents

Six-module program based upon the IMB model

Attention-matched control group Main outcomes: Condom use, abstinence

Content tailored on sexual experience

Eligibility criteria

14-18 years of age Self-identifies as gay, bisexual, or

queer Owns mobile phone Enrolled in unlimited text messaging

plan Has texted for at least 6 months Plans to have cell phone number for

at least 6 months

Online focus groups

Aim: Guide program content and logistic decisions

Four focus groups (n=75) November 2012 and January 2013 3 consecutive days Stratified by sexual experience (anal/vaginal sex

ever) Asynchronous, bulletin-board style

format Password-protected website Participants created anonymous username Daily moderation and probing

Designing and implementing a national recruitment and enrollment strategy

National, online sampling frame Online strategies to recruit participants:

Facebook

Google Ads

Partnership with community organizations GLSEN (Gay, Lesbian, Straight Education

Network) TrevorProject

Designing and implementing a national recruitment and enrollment strategy

Online strategies to recruit participants:Recruitment source

Eligible screeners received

Ineligible screeners received

Total cost

Facebook 86 43 $378.35GoogleAds 0 6 $0TrevorProject 78 56 $0GLSEN 59 49 $0

Recruitment source FG #1 (n=37) FG #2 (n=38)

Facebook 0 12GoogleAds Not used 0TrevorProject 37 3GLSEN Not used 23

Source for enrolled participants:

Participant demographics (n=75)

5% 5%

19%

1%15%

55%

Race

Asian Black or African AmericanMixed racial backgroundNative American or Alaskan native Other White or Caucasian

29%

71%

Urbanicity

Rural Urban

Confirming program components

Text Buddy Participants liked the idea. Suggested matching on

many things: age, sexual orientation, interests, outness, etc.

Some were concerned that it might get ‘creepy’ and encouraged plans to protect against this

SOS Tonight (on-demand dating tips) The idea was well-received It has been re-conceptualized as G2Genie (on-demand

tips about sex, relationships, condoms, HIV testing) Message timing

Participants identify their text message time frame Vary message window during school week vs. weekend

Conclusion s

Use of multiple recruitment strategies allows you to purposefully target and recruit a diverse national sample in a cost-effective manner Facebook targeted advertising options allows

for further refinement of ad for sub-populations

Community partners allowed us to recruit half of focus group participants at no cost

Proposed G2G program components appear to be acceptable among GBQ youth recruited nationally

Thank you!

For more information, please contact:

Tonya Prescotttonya@innovativepublichealth.org

* Thank you for your interest in this presentation.  Please note that analyses included herein are preliminary. More recent, finalized analyses may be available by contacting CiPHR for further information.