The Use of New Media to improve Access to Sexual Reproductive Health Services among Young Black Males in a Community-Based Setting

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PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT The purpose of this proposed K-Award is to promote my development as an independent investigator; and support my program of research involving new media to reduce sexually transmitted infections and improve access to sexual health services for young Black males in urban settings, thereby improving a broad range of health outcomes. As it stands, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], sexually transmitted infections (STIs) are a significant health challenge facing the United States. Each year, approximately 20 million individuals are diagnosed with an STI. STIs occur disproportionately in young people ages 13-24. Within this population, young Black males between 18-24 endure compromised sexual reproductive health (SRH) that is substandard compared to that of their non-Black peers. Recent evidence documents the potential power of various forms of new media to promote safer sex behaviors and STI prevention among this population. This study aims to examine if new media can positively inform, educate, and reach young Black males, resulting in improved access to sexual reproductive healthcare and safe sex behaviors. To achieve my career goals, I need additional training in (1) advanced methodological training in data analysis, (2) mixed methods research (3) designing and implementing interventions. The strong mentoring team will help to address my knowledge gaps and support my growth as an independent investigator, ensuring that I reach each milestone during this rigorous process. The proposed research will apply an innovative methodology. This includes conducting a secondary analysis from a Barbershop-Based HIV/STD Risk Reduction for African American/Black Young Men (Aim 1), in-depth interviewing, and social media data mining that will involve transcribing a large body of social media data using natural language processing (Aim 2), and finally a pilot intervention to assess feasibility and acceptability that will include a social media campaign and community partners in an urban setting who have contributed to the current health promotion and risk reduction of this population (Aim 3). The intervention will be designed to be easily disseminated and accessible in the community. At the conclusion, the optimized intervention will be ready to be evaluated in a large-scale randomized controlled trial.