Harnessing the Power of Text Messaging to Invigorate AMSM HIV Preventive Behavior
Condition: HIV
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The purpose of this study is to examine whether Guy2Guy (G2G), a text messaging-based healthy
      sexuality and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention program intervention for 14-18
      year gay, bisexual and queer men, is associated with HIV preventive behavior (e.g., condom
      use) compared to an attention-matched control group.
    

Detailed description: 
      Adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. They
      account for almost 70% of HIV diagnoses among all young people and are the only risk group
      with an increasing number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Despite this disproportionate burden,
      current HIV prevention programs focus primarily on adults and heterosexual youth. As such,
      there is an urgent need for evidence-based HIV prevention programs targeting AMSM. Because
      issues affecting sexual health decisions among AMSM are unique, intervention programs cannot
      be translated from heterosexually focused interventions. Instead, they need to be designed
      from the ground up to ensure appropriately tailored content that resonates with the target
      population. Evidence-based HIV prevention programs targeting AMSM are urgently needed.

      The Guy2Guy (G2G) intervention is a text messaging-based HIV prevention program designed for
      the specific needs of adolescent males who self-identify as gay, bisexual, or queer (GBQ) and
      are between the ages of 14-18 years. The intervention will be tested in a randomized
      controlled trial against an attention-matched control group which receives text messages
      about healthy lifestyle (e.g., exercise, nutrition). A total of 300 GBQ adolescent males will
      be into the study using an online recruitment strategy. The study is being conducted by
      researchers at the Center for Innovative Public Health Research and Northwestern University.

      The primary efficacy outcome measures are unprotected sex acts and abstinence at 3-months
      follow-up. The investigators hypothesize that those in the G2G intervention will be
      significantly more likely to be engage in HIV preventive behavior (e.g., use condoms when
      having vaginal/anal sex) at 3-months follow-up compared to the attention-matched control
      group. Secondary efficacy outcomes include unprotected sex acts and abstinence at 3-month
      follow-up by sexual experience groups (i.e., ever had sex versus never had sex at baseline),
      HIV testing rates, and unprotected sex acts and abstinence at intervention end (5 weeks post
      enrollment) for those in the intervention versus control groups; and for participants who
      were sexually experienced and inexperienced at baseline, separately.

      If effective, G2G has promise to be quickly and cost-effectively implemented to scale to help
      to curb the spread of HIV infection among AMSM long into adulthood.
    

Intervention name(s): Guy2Guy (G2G)
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): G2G is a text messaging-based healthy sexuality and HIV prevention program specifically for 14-18 year old GBQ adolescent males. Content is guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model and focuses on: HIV information, motivations to engage in HIV preventive behavior, communication skills, behavioral skills (e.g., using a condom; HIV testing); and healthy/unhealthy relationships. Behavioral skills content is reinforced using brief online videos. The intervention is 5 weeks long. A "booster" is delivered 6-weeks post-intervention end and reviews the topics covered in the intervention. G2G content is tailored based upon whether one is abstinent or sexually active.
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: Single (Participant)
Primary purpose: Prevention
Keywords: HIV Prevention; Adolescent Men who Have Sex with Men (AMSM); Text-Messaging; Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills(IMB)Model