Using online social networks for HIV prevention in African American/Latino MSM

描述（由申请人提供）：本K 01提案的目的是获得使用在线社交网络的培训和经验，以增加艾滋病毒预防沟通和行为改变。该提案旨在确定使用在线社交网络来扩展同伴社区领袖模型的可接受性、可行性和初步有效性，以增加非洲裔美国人和拉丁美洲男性同性恋者（MSM）中的艾滋病毒预防。以社区为基础的行为改变模式，如同伴社区领袖模式，已被证明可以增加艾滋病毒预防行为。诸如Facebook.com之类的社交网络可能是用于扩展基于社区的模型的具有成本效益的平台。虽然早期主要是中上层阶级的白色人口使用互联网，但非洲裔美国人和拉丁美洲人家庭的互联网使用最近急剧增加，特别是在Facebook. com等在线社交网络上。使用互联网的人感染艾滋病毒的风险可能最高，他们正在使用新的互联网方法寻找性伴侣，例如通过在线社交网络。目前还没有发表的研究报告探讨基于社区的艾滋病毒预防模式是否可以利用在线社交网络进行推广，因此这是一项重要的可行性研究。我们提出了以下具体目标，以解决这项研究：具体目标1：使用定性的方法来探讨是否以及如何在线社交网络可以用于艾滋病毒预防非洲裔美国人和拉丁美洲男男性行为者。具体目标二：评估使用在线社交网络进行艾滋病毒预防的最佳沟通方法，并利用这些知识为同行领导人创建2个结构化指南（一个针对非洲裔美国男男性行为者的指南，一个针对拉丁裔男男性行为者的指南），以向非洲裔美国人和拉丁裔男男性行为者传播艾滋病毒预防行为改变信息。具体目标3：设计一项试点研究，以评估使用在线社交网络在非裔美国人和拉丁美洲男男性行为者中增加检测和艾滋病毒预防行为的可行性、可接受性和初步有效性。从这项研究中收集的试点数据将用于制定一项R 01提案，用于一项更大规模的随机试验，旨在评估在线社交网络是否可用于扩大以社区为基础的预防干预措施，以增加检测并减少艾滋病毒在艾滋病毒高风险社区内的传播。 公共卫生相关性：以社区为基础的艾滋病毒预防方法的有效性可能会受到与面对面谈论艾滋病毒有关的耻辱感的阻碍（例如，谈论艾滋病病毒可能会因暗示自己已感染而导致污名化;参加检测可能会因暗示自己可能感染而导致污名化;加入一个由其他高危人群组成的公共团体可能会因与他人交往而导致污名化）。在线社交网络，如Facebook.com，有可能克服这些障碍，消除面对面接触的潜在不适，同时迅速接触到大量的高危人群。虽然研究表明，互联网有希望提供初级预防，目前的建议有可能成为第一个发表的NIH资助的研究表明，在线社交网站可以用来增加艾滋病毒预防和艾滋病毒检测行为。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this K01 proposal is to gain training and experience using online social networks to increase HIV prevention communication and behavior change. This proposal seeks to determine the acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness of using online social networks to scale peer community leader models to increase HIV prevention within African-American and Latino men who have sex with men (MSM). Community-based behavior change models such as the peer community leader model have been proven to increase HIV prevention behaviors. Social networks such as Facebook.com may be a cost-effective platform for scaling community-based models. Although primarily upper middle-class White populations used the Internet in its early years, Internet use within African-American and Latino households has recently increased dramatically, especially on online social networks such as Facebook.com. People using the Internet may be at the highest risk for contracting HIV and are using novel Internet approaches to find sex partners, such as through online social networks. No published studies have looked at whether community-based HIV prevention models can be scaled using online social networks, making this an important feasibility study. We propose the following specific aims to address this research: Specific Aim 1: Use qualitative methods to explore whether and how online social networks can be used for HIV prevention in African American and Latino MSM. Specific Aim 2: Assess the best communication methods for using online social networks for HIV prevention and use this knowledge to create 2 structured guides (one guide for African American MSM and one guide for Latino MSM) for peer leaders to disseminate HIV prevention behavior change information to African American and Latino MSM. Specific Aim 3: Design a pilot study to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary effectiveness of using online social networks to increase testing and HIV prevention behaviors in African American and Latino MSM. The pilot data collected from this study will be used to develop an R01 proposal for a larger randomized trial designed to assess whether online social networks can be used to scale community-based prevention interventions to increase testing and decrease HIV transmission within communities at disproportionately high-risk for HIV. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The effectiveness of community-based HIV prevention methods may by hindered by the stigma associated with face-to-face conversations about HIV (e.g., talking about HIV might may lead to stigmatization by implying that one is infected; showing up to get tested may lead to stigmatization by implying possible infection; joining a public group of other people at high-risk may lead to stigmatization by association with others). Online social networks, such as Facebook.com, have the potential to overcome these barriers by removing the potential discomfort of face-to-face contact while quickly reaching large populations of at-risk individuals. Although studies suggest that the Internet has promise for delivering primary prevention, the present proposal has the potential to be the first published NIH-funded study suggesting that online social networking sites can be used to increase HIV prevention and HIV testing behavior.