NCT01381653

An Innovative HIV Prevention Intervention Using Social Networking Technology

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 60 (actual)
• Sponsor: Hunter College of City University of New York · Academic / Other
• Sex: Male
• Age: 18 Years – 29 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

An existing face-to-face HIV prevention intervention (The Young Men's Health Project, YMHP; R01DA20366) will be iteratively adapted and pilot-tested to target difficult to engage high-risk young men who have sex with men (YMSM) via online social networking and aims to reduce both high-risk sexual behavior and drug use.

Detailed description

This pilot study entails a two-phase process. During Phase I, 15 former YMHP participants (intervention decliners and those who only completed one session) will participate in focus groups to advise us on the feasibility and pragmatic specifications of an HIV prevention intervention received via the IM (instant messaging) function of Facebook. Focus group transcripts will be examined to isolate key recommendations for modifying the intervention's structure and procedures. Focus groups will be reconvened for additional feedback on the modified intervention, followed by further adjustment. During Phase II, 40 high-risk YMSM (ages 18-29 and Facebook users) will be enrolled in a pilot of the modified intervention. The intervention will span 4 weeks and contain 8 bi-weekly 30 minute Motivational Interviewing (MI) chat-window sessions consisting of a sequential progression of intervention approaches tailored to each participant's readiness to change their drug use and high risk sexual behavior. Data from Phase II will include pre-post intervention behavioral risk assessments, as well as individual interviews with all 40 intervention participants for a qualitative evaluation regarding the feasibility and acceptability of the intervention's structure, and process. Findings from these interviews (and counselor focus group) will inform the fine-tuning of the intervention in preparation for a subsequent randomized control trial (RCT).

Conditions

• Sexual Risk
• Substance Use

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Behavioral: HIV prevention intervention	Substance using HIV-negative young men who have sex with men who engage in sexual risk and use social networking (Facebook) will be recruited and enrolled in a brief intervention utilizing Motivational Interviewing over chat window to reduce their substance use and sexual risk. They will also evaluate their intervention experience at the end of their eight sessions and post-assessment.

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-11-01
• Primary completion: 2013-03-01
• Completion: 2013-03-01
• First posted: 2011-06-27
• Last updated: 2013-06-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States