CELL PHONE-BASED SEXUAL HEALTH COMMUNICATION AMONG (YMSM)

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This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. Primary support for the subproject and the subproject's principal investigator may have been provided by other sources, including other NIH sources. The Total Cost listed for the subproject likely represents the estimated amount of Center infrastructure utilized by the subproject, not direct funding provided by the NCRR grant to the subproject or subproject staff. Abstract In the proposed cross-disciplinary social/behavioral and community study, Dr. Sheba George (CDU) and Dr. Matt Mutcler (APLA) will evaluate the acceptability of using a health information technology (HIT) based intervention, namely cell phone text messaging, to facilitate the training of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and their friends in communication about sexual health. We have developed the following Specific Aims: 1. To identify gaps in knowledge and relevant sexual health communication topics for use with cell phone-based interventions in this population by analyzing previously collected qualitative data on sexual health communication among YMSM and their friends for relevant contextual factors that need to be addressed. 2. To examine the acceptability of cell phone-based sexual health communication and specific messages about HIV prevention and substance abuse among young MSM and their friends. To accomplish these aims, we propose a two-phase, multimethod study. First for specific aim 1, we will conduct a secondary data analysis of an existing qualitative dataset from interviews with young gay men and their best friends collected by Dr. Mutchler to develop public health messages that may be used in HIT communications with YMSM and their friends. For specific aim 2, we will conduct focus group interviews, stratified by race, with YMSM and their best gay male friends to test acceptability of incorporating cell phone based text messaging in a sexual health intervention and also acceptability of the messages. We will conduct 6 focus group interviews with African American YMSM who have best gay male friends (N=6 to 8 participants per group) and also 6 focus group interviews with Latino YMSM who have best gay male friends (N=6 to 8 participants per group).