Mobile Messaging Intervention to Present New HIV Prevention Options for Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM)

Emory University1,229 enrolled

Overview

The study will evaluate the use and effectiveness of mobile-messaging platforms as a public health strategy for improving sexual health outcome measures among men who have sex with men (MSM) by determining whether exposure to the message-delivery platform results in improvements in participants' self-reported sexual health and prevention behaviors, beliefs and attitudes. The study will enroll men into a randomized controlled trial. Participants randomized to the messaging intervention will have access to a smartphone-based messaging platform for three months while those assigned to the waitlist group will be offered access to the messaging platform after all follow up is complete. Participants will complete surveys at baseline, after the end of the 3 month intervention, and follow up surveys 6 and 9 months after the baseline survey.

This study aims to evaluate the use and effectiveness of a smartphone-based messaging platform as a public health strategy for improving participants' self-reported sexual health and prevention behaviors, beliefs and attitudes. The study will enroll 1,206 men into a randomized controlled trial. They will be assigned to either the immediate intervention group ("intervention arm") or the waitlist-control group ("waitlist-control arm"). All participants will take an assessment survey at baseline, and the intervention group will be oriented on the installation and use of the messaging app upon randomization to that group. All men in the randomized controlled trial will complete short follow-up surveys at 3-month intervals during the 9-month follow-up period. When the intervention arm activities and assessments have concluded, participants in the waitlist-control arm will then be given the option of accessing to the intervention app and participation in intervention post-test activities.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Enrollment

Interventions

HealthMindr ApplicationBEHAVIORAL

From baseline to 3-month post-test, participants in the intervention arm are granted access and instructed to interact regularly with the HealthMindr messaging platform. The HealthMindr messaging platform delivers messages relevant to both general audiences of sexually-active MSM, as well as messages relevant only to specific subgroups of HIV-positive men, and currently higher and lower risk HIV-negative men. Answers provided during the assessments determine which subset of messages are delivered to app users, with information such as HIV status, changes in self-reported risk behaviors, or other factors that influence the relevance of any given message. The HealthMindr application also offers free condoms, lube, and a HIV and STI testing kits.

WaitlistBEHAVIORAL

Participants assigned to the waitlist-control arm will be given a welcome sheet orienting them to the study. The message they view will include the same resources links provided to the intervention arm. The information will cover the importance of testing, links to an online mapping tool about the HIV epidemic in the United States (AIDSVu) and resources to locate HIV testing services and prevention information in their area. No information recommending frequency of testing will be given in the welcome greeting.

Eligibility

Sex: MALEMin age: 18 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * Assigned male at birth * Current, self-reported gender identity as "Male" * Aged 18 or over * Self-reported ability to read and understand English-language * Resides in the Atlanta, Georgia (GA), New York, New York (NY), or Detroit, Michigan (MI) Metropolitan Statistical Area. * Self-reported anal sex with a male partner in the past 12 months * Owns and uses an Android or Apple (iOS) smartphone * Is included in one of the following risk groups, by self-report: * HIV seropositive * HIV seronegative at "higher risk" (condomless anal sex and not taking PrEP as prescribed in the past 3 months) * HIV seronegative at "lower risk" (no condomless anal sex in the past 3 months, or condomless and sex while taking PrEP as prescribed in the past 3 months) Exclusion Criteria: * Currently participating in another HIV prevention research study or program * Participant's phone or device does not support HealthMindr application * Tested positive for HIV for the first time in the past 6 months * Has a plan to move out of the Atlanta, GA, New York, NY or Detroit, MI, Metropolitan Statistical Area within in the next 9 months

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Change in HIV testing

HIV-negative men will be asked if they have received an HIV test (ever for the baseline measure and in the past 3 months for follow up surveys).