THE VIRTUAL PROMOTORAS PROGRAM: DEVELOPMENT AND FEASIBILITY OF AN mHEALTH INTERVENTION TO PROMOTE SEXUAL HEALTH AND HEALTHCARE ACCESS AMONG YOUNG LATINA WOMEN IN THE US SOUTH

项目总结/摘要 拟议研究的目标是开发和研究一个创新的，可扩展的 移动健康，“安全空间”干预年轻拉丁妇女（YLW）在亚拉巴马（AL），并刺激 行为研究在AL的大学进行. YLW不成比例地受到性行为的影响， 与非西班牙裔白色人相比，西班牙裔年轻人明显较少 与非西班牙裔黑人和非西班牙裔白色同行相比，他们可能会有一个通常的位置 预防保健。以证据为基础的、与文化相关的性健康教育方案主要是 在国内不可用。有必要提供可获得的、有效的和可扩展的性健康和 卫生保健获得（SHCA）干预YLW。虚拟Promotoras计划（VIP）旨在解决 这种需要。VIP将为YLW创建一个虚拟的“安全空间”，以了解性健康和SHCA， 他们可以有效地照顾自己的性健康，并参与医疗保健， 系统这反过来又可以帮助他们实现更好的健康结果（即，减少意外怀孕 性传播感染率）。在过去的6年里，我们积极参与了广泛的形成工作， 拉丁美洲/a/x社区，由社区为基础的调查研究（CBPR）的指导。本研究 是这项研究的下一步VIP mHealth工具（支持移动的网站， 感觉像一个移动的应用程序，但可以从其他设备访问）将是一个虚拟的“安全空间”， YLW可以：了解性健康和SHCA（教育模块）;与“虚拟推广人”联系 谁可以提供指导和建议，就如何导航医疗保健系统;并创造一个性 健康计划（即，目标设定和患者/提供者通信工具）。据我们所知 美国南部的研究人员正在与YLW合作， 导航模式转换为电子格式，目的是使青年妇女能够照顾她们的性健康， 增加性保健的获得和利用，减少性健康差距。具体 本研究的目的是：（1）发展和检验一个基于理论的，文化相关的性 对年轻拉丁妇女的医疗保健干预;（2）估计所需的参数， 评估VIP计划疗效的分组随机试验。拟议的CBPR研究将 也为UA学生创造新的机会，参与行为科学研究， 发展我们的研究事业。这项工作与国家护理研究所 研究的目标是“通过了解身体、行为、文化和 环境对健康状况的影响，并制定适合文化的干预措施，以预防疾病 并促进健康”和“利用创新技术开发新的干预措施， 为患者、家庭和医疗保健提供者提供个性化护理和实时健康信息”。

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The goals of the proposed study are to develop and examine the feasibility of an innovative, scalable mHealth, “safe space” intervention for Young Latina Women (YLW) in Alabama (AL) and to stimulate the conduct of behavioral research at the University of AL. YLW are disproportionately affected by sexual health disparities compared to their non-Hispanic White counterparts. Hispanic youth are significantly less likely than their non-Hispanic Black and non-Hispanic white counterparts to have a usual place for preventive care. Evidence-based, culturally relevant sexual health education programming is largely unavailable in the state. There is a need for accessible, effective and scalable sexual health and sexual healthcare access (SHCA) interventions for YLW. The Virtual Promotoras Program (VIP) seeks to address this need. The VIP will create a virtual “safe space” for YLW to learn about sexual health and SHCA so that they can become empowered to effectively care for their sexual health and engage with the healthcare system. This in turn, can help them achieve improved health outcomes (i.e., lowered unplanned pregnancy and STI rates). Over the last 6 years, we have conducted extensive formative work with active engagement of the Latino/a/x community, guided by Community Based Participatory Research (CBPR). This study is the next natural step in this research. The VIP mHealth tool (mobile enabled website which will look and feel like a mobile application but can be accessed from other devices) will be a virtual “safe space” where YLW can: learn about sexual health and SHCA (educational modules); connect with “virtual promotoras” who can provide guidance and advice on how to navigate the healthcare system; and create a sexual health plan (i.e., a goal setting and patient/provider communication tool). To our knowledge no other researchers in the US South are working with YLW to adapt evidence-based health education and peer navigator model to an electronic format with the aim of empowering YLW to care for their sexual health, increasing sexual healthcare access and utilization and decreasing sexual health disparities. The specific aims of this study are: (1) Develop and examine the feasibility of a theory-based, culturally relevant sexual healthcare access intervention for young Latina women; and (2) Estimate the parameters required to size a group randomized trial for the evaluation of efficacy of the VIP program. The proposed CBPR study would also create new opportunities for UA students to become involved in behavioral science research and for UA to grow our research enterprise. This work is consistent with the National Institute of Nursing Research’s goals of “Enhancing wellness by understanding the physical, behavioral, cultural and environmental influences on health status and developing culturally tailored interventions to prevent illness and promote health” and “Using innovative technologies to develop novel interventions that deliver personalized care and real-time health information to patients, families and healthcare providers”.