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

描述（由申请人提供）：此K01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。本提案旨在确定在线社交网络的可接受性、可行性和初步有效性，以扩展同伴社区领导模型，以增加非洲裔美国人和拉丁裔男男性行为者（MSM）的艾滋病毒预防。以社区为基础的行为改变模式，如同伴社区领导模式，已被证明可以增加艾滋病毒预防行为。像Facebook.com这样的社交网络对于扩展基于社区的模式来说可能是一个划算的平台。虽然早年主要是上层中产阶级白人使用互联网，但最近非裔美国人和拉丁裔家庭使用互联网的人数急剧增加，尤其是在facebook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。没有发表的研究着眼于基于社区的艾滋病毒预防模式是否可以使用在线社交网络进行扩展，这使其成为一项重要的可行性研究。我们提出以下具体目标：具体目标1：使用定性方法探讨在线社交网络是否以及如何用于非洲裔美国人和拉丁裔男同性恋者的艾滋病毒预防。具体目标2：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和一个针对拉丁裔男男性行为者的指南），供同行领导者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增加非裔美国人和拉丁裔男同性恋者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。从本研究中收集的试点数据将用于为一项更大规模的随机试验制定R01建议，该试验旨在评估在线社交网络是否可以用于扩大基于社区的预防干预措施，以增加检测并减少艾滋病毒在艾滋病毒高危社区的传播。

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.