The purpose of this study is to develop a chatbot intervention to promote PrEP awareness and uptake among Black men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Southern United States.
In the United States (US), the epicenter of the HIV epidemic is in the South. The HIV-related death rate in the US South is high, but engagement with quality HIV prevention services and care is low. Although only 38% of the US population lives in the South, the region accounts for 51% of new HIV infections. Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) account for 60% of new infections among African Americans in the South. Black MSM are one of the most vulnerable groups to HIV transmission in the US. HIV testing and PrEP uptake in Black MSM, however, remain low (10%) due to multiple factors including stigma, sexual-orientation based discrimination and low PrEP awareness among Black MSM. Innovative strategies that motivate and provide guidance for PrEP among Black MSM in the US South are therefore urgently needed. Chatbot technology should be tested and implemented to help improve PrEP awareness and uptake in the US South. In this project, the investigators aim to develop and pilot test to assess the acceptability and feasibility of a chatbot for PrEP awareness and uptake relative to treatment as usual (control).
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
DOUBLE
Enrollment
145
Participants in the intervention group will have access to a theory-informed (Self-Determination Theory) chatbot and receive an automated personalized question message (root-node message) from the chatbot. The root-node messages are questions written into the chatbot algorithms to initiate interactive communication with participants. In each round of the interactive communication, the chatbot will provide automated personalized PrEP-related information, autonomous motivation, and psychological needs based on Self-Determination Theory constructs.
Participants in the control group will received general education messages from a research assistant including healthy diet, exercise, and COVID-19 prevention. The frequency of contact will be pre-specified by participants in interviews prior to the RCT.
Care 4 U Community Health Center
Miami, Florida, United States
Community Care Resources of FL (CCRSFL)
Pembroke Pines, Florida, United States
NAESM, Inc
Atlanta, Georgia, United States
RAO Community Health
Charlotte, North Carolina, United States
Change from baseline PrEP awareness in 90 days
PrEP awareness will be measured as the proportion of participants who are aware of PrEP. Specifically, the investigators will collect PrEP awareness by asking participants standardized questions through a Qualtrics survey.
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change from baseline PrEP uptake in 90 days
PrEP uptake will be measured as the mean of the frequency of taking PrEP medication. Specifically, the investigators will collect PrEP uptake by asking participants through a Qualtrics survey if they have been taken PrEP at baseline and every 30 days. If participants respond that they have taken PrEP, the investigators will ask them the date and frequency of taking it and ask them to upload a photo of their PrEP for verification to reduce social desirability bias in responses.
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change in Usability score
The usability score will be measured by the System Usability Scale, which is 5-point Likert scale consisted of 10 questions. Participants' scores range from 0 to 100. A score of 68 is average, below 68 is poor, above 68 is good, and above 80.3 is excellent.
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change in Recommendation score
The recommendation score will be calculated by a Net Promote Score, which measures MSM's likelihood to recommend the chatbot to other MSM friends. The score ranges from 0 to 10. The higher the score, the better the recommendation score.
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change in Acceptability score
Acceptability, defined as the extent to which the chatbot is suitable and satisfactory to MSM, will be measured using the standardized Customer Satisfaction Scale "How would you rate your overall satisfaction with the chatbot?" and a 5-point Likert question "How would you rate the likelihood of continuing to use the chatbot?"
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Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change in Practicality score
Practicality defined as the extent to which the chatbot provides real-time Self-Determination theory inputs, will be measured using a 5-point Likert question "How would you rate the overall quality of the chatbot?"
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change in Demand score
Demand, defined as the level of integration to which the chatbot fits into the MSM-preferred online platform, will be measured by the number of actual use documented on developer's platform.
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days
Change in Adaptation score
Adaptation, defined as the extent to which the chatbot can be integrated into other social-networking apps, will be measured by asking "How likely would you use the chatbot if embedded on other apps?"
Time frame: At baseline, 30 days, 60 days, and 90 days