Building mobile health HIV-prevention capacity for MSM in Romania.

描述（由申请人提供）：该项目旨在采用移动的健康（mHealth）技术，以减少艾滋病毒在同性恋，双性恋和其他男男性行为者（MSM）中的传播。猖獗的污名化导致罗马尼亚男男性行为者艾滋病毒感染率上升，并导致无法获得对男男性行为者友好的艾滋病毒预防服务。虽然我们已建立的基于互联网的聊天干预规避障碍，并支持在污名化的情况下的健康，我们将把它转化为一个完全移动的平台，并结合当地的文化需求，以确保可行性和吸引力，并最大限度地提高罗马尼亚男男性接触者的疗效。提供一个创新的实时聊天咨询计划，以及在移动的设备上实时跟踪风险行为，可以遏制罗马尼亚男男性行为者中艾滋病毒的日益流行。在目标1（第1-6个月），我们将与5名主要社区知情人和15名男男性接触者进行访谈，以指导我们评估当地的艾滋病毒预防需求，并调整MiCHAT以产生文化共鸣。接下来，我们将与罗马尼亚合作者一起调整干预措施。在目标2（4-8个月），我们将与干预现场工作人员制定实施方案，并培训三名顾问。我们还将与我们的技术软件开发商数据中心解决方案（DCS）合作，翻译用于移动健康交付的干预工具（智能手机聊天干预平台和实时行为跟踪工具）。在目标3（第9-24个月），我们将测试的可行性和可接受性的mHealth干预提供给40高风险的男男性行为者。参与者将被评估（a）在基线，（B）在整个干预过程中使用行为跟踪软件，和（c）在6个月随访时的风险（例如，UAI）和保护性（例如，艾滋病毒检测、知识）模式和干预的可接受性。合作审查的结果将使未来的移动健康研究和准备的随机对照试验。该试点项目研究了利用移动健康潜力建设地方能力的可行性，以传播经调整的在线干预措施，有效地接触脆弱的男男性行为者。如果在该试点试验中证明可行、可接受和初步有效，该开发项目将标志着在其他地区应用移动健康研究和实践的有效性和有效性试验计划的开始，在这些地区，男男性行为者受到艾滋病毒的影响不成比例，标准预防方法服务不足。最后，这个独特的研究机会将培养PI在国际研究方面的专业知识，并为他们在全球范围内应用美国当地的研究知识提供理想的环境。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This project seeks to employ mobile heath (mHealth) technologies to reduce the spread of HIV among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) in the Central Eastern European country of Romania. Rampant stigma contributes to the increasing prevalence of HIV among Romanian MSM and drives a lack of access to MSM-friendly HIV prevention services. While our established internet-based chat intervention circumvents barriers to access and supports health in stigmatizing contexts, we will translate it to a fully mobile platform and incorporate local cultural needs to ensure feasibility and appeal, and maximize efficacy among Romanian MSM. Delivering an innovative live chat counseling program alongside real-time risk behavior tracking on mobile devices can curb the increasing prevalence of HIV among Romanian MSM. In Aim 1 (months 1-6), we will conduct interviews with 5 key community informants and 15 MSM to guide us in assessing local HIV prevention needs and adapting MiCHAT for cultural resonance. Next, we will adapt the intervention with our Romanian collaborators. In Aim 2 (months 4-8), we will develop implementation protocols with intervention site staff and train three counselors. We will also work with our technical software developer, Data Center Solutions (DCS), to translate the intervention tools for mHealth delivery (smartphone chat intervention platform and real-time behavioral tracking tools). In Aim 3 (months 9-24), we will test the feasibility and acceptability f this mHealth intervention by delivering it to 40 high-risk MSM. Participants will be assessed (a) at baseline, (b) throughout the intervention using behavioral tracking software, and (c) at 6 months follow- up for risk (e.g., UAI) and protective (e.g., HIV testing, knowledge) patterns, and intervention acceptability. Collaborative review of findings will enable future mHealth research and preparation for an RCT. This pilot examines the feasibility of harnessing mHealth potential to build local capacity for the dissemination of an adapted online intervention to efficiently reac vulnerable MSM. If proven feasible, acceptable, and preliminarily efficacious in this pilot trial, this development project will mark the beginning of a program of applied mHealth research and practice for efficacy and effectiveness trials in other geographic locales where MSM are disproportionately affected by HIV and underserved by standard prevention approaches. Lastly, this unique research opportunity will foster the PIs' expertise in international research and provide an ideal context to apply their local US research knowledge globally.