Piloting a Mobile App for HIV Risk Reduction among Young Latinas & Black Females

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国估计有超过170万人感染艾滋病毒，新感染人数在拉丁裔青年和黑人青年妇女中最多。在美国，年轻人的艾滋病发病率要么保持不变，要么正在增加，主要是由于性传播。鉴于13-29岁的年轻人艾滋病毒感染率最高，对性健康和生殖健康服务的需求很大，而且与其他年龄组相比，这一人群拥有的智能手机数量很高，因此移动的平台可能为减少艾滋病毒/性传播感染风险行为提供有效机会。开发一个由青年同伴教育者（18至21岁）提供信息的智能手机应用程序。尚未在市场上发布的应用程序提供了一个独特的机会，可以进行实验设计研究，以了解年轻的拉丁裔和黑人妇女（YLBW）如何使用该应用程序，以及它如何影响性健康和生殖健康服务的知识。具体而言，拟议的试点项目审查了使用智能手机应用程序获取性健康和生殖健康信息的18-25岁的YLBW是否能够增加对性健康和生殖健康服务的了解和利用，如PEP、计划B、艾滋病毒、性传播感染和怀孕测试，以及其他社会服务，如药物滥用治疗。该试点项目将借鉴社会认知理论、社会网络理论和互动技术教学法框架，以实现以下两个目标：（1）确定和探索参与者将使用具有定位功能的性健康和生殖健康智能手机应用程序的设置和情况，并进一步调整应用程序内容，以满足目标受众的需求。(2)试行一项干预措施，以评估使用性健康和生殖健康智能手机应用程序，包括推送信息，与自我指导的性健康和生殖健康教育相比，是否能提高知识并增加对性健康和生殖健康服务的使用，如计划B、PEP、艾滋病毒、其他性传播感染和怀孕测试。我们建议那些能够访问SRH应用程序的人将更好地了解和更多地使用SRH服务。第一个目标的分析将应用扎根理论，第二个目标将比较干预组和对照组之间的差异，还将包括社会网络分析。拟议的研究和培训计划还旨在通过进一步加强我的定量，技术，出版和语法技能集，以启动一个成功的职业生涯作为一个学术研究人员，以促进我作为一个公共卫生研究人员的发展。我的职业目标是准备作为一个独立的艾滋病毒/性传播感染/性健康和生殖健康研究人员在开发，研究和实施文化能力和有效的行为干预的职业生涯，为了使基于证据的艾滋病毒预防建议的颜色的年轻人。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Of the more than 1.7 million estimated people ever infected with HIV in the U.S., new infections are highest among young Latinas and young Black women. HIV incidence rates among youth in the U.S. have either remained constant or are increasing, primarily due to sexual transmission. Given that young people between ages 13-29 have the highest HIV incidence and a substantial need of sexual and reproductive health (SRH) services, and this population has a high smartphone ownership in comparison to other age groups, mobile platforms may offer an effective opportunity to decrease HIV/STI risk behaviors. The development of a smartphone app informed by youth peer educators (18 to 21y.o.) not yet released in the market offers a unique opportunity to conduct an experimental design study to understand how young Latinas and Black women (YLBW) use the app and how it influences knowledge of SRH services. Specifically, the proposed pilot project examines if YLBW ages 18-25 who use a smartphone app for SRH information can achieve increased knowledge and utilization of SRH services such as PEP, Plan B, HIV, STI, and pregnancy testing, and to other social services, such as substance abuse treatment. This pilot project will draw from social cognitive theory, social network theory, and interactive technology pedagogy frameworks to address the following two aims: (1) Identify and explore the settings and situations where participants will use a location enabled SRH smartphone app, and further tailor the app content to meet the needs of the target audience. (2) Pilot an intervention to assess whether access to an SRH smartphone application, including push messages, versus self-directed SRH education improves knowledge and increases the use of SRH services such as Plan B, PEP, HIV, other STI, and pregnancy testing. We propose those with access to an SRH app will have better knowledge and greater use of SRH services. Analysis for the first aim will apply grounded theory and for the second aim, will compare differences between the intervention and comparison arms, and will also include social network analysis. The proposed research and training plans are additionally designed to foster my development as a public health researcher by further strengthening my quantitative, technological, publication, and grantsmanship skill sets in order to launch a successful career as an academic researcher. My career goal is to prepare for a career as an independent HIV/STI/SRH researcher in developing, researching and implementing culturally competent and effective behavioral interventions, in order to make evidenced-based HIV prevention recommendations for young people of color.