Identifying opportunities to integrate technology into HIV prevention for South A

描述（由申请人提供）：HIV/AIDS是南非发病率和死亡率的主要原因1，2，估计每五个成年人中就有一个HIV阳性。青年人的疾病负担特别重：34%的艾滋病毒新病例发生在15至24岁的青年人中。此外，据估计，如果南非目前的艾滋病毒感染率保持稳定，今天活着的15岁儿童中有50%将死于艾滋病。艾滋病毒对南非青少年的影响怎么强调都不过分。一些研究人员最近指出，南非以预防为主的干预措施没有产生预期的效果。当然，低成本、可扩展、可修改以反映不断变化的行为趋势的干预提供机制，如互联网和短信，应该被视为增加现有艾滋病毒预防计划的额外工具。作为设计这种艾滋病毒预防方案的第一步，本R 03建议在南非的1,500名小学生中进行定量调查。调查结果将确定技术可能为艾滋病毒预防信息传递带来的机会。该R 03将作为后续R 01的启动平台，该R 01提出了一个艾滋病毒预防计划的设计，该计划对南非的青少年具有文化敏感性，并与其发展和技术相关。 公共卫生相关性：艾滋病毒/艾滋病是南非青少年发病率和死亡率的主要原因。需要采取新的艾滋病毒预防办法。现在是在资源有限的国家发展以技术为基础的艾滋病毒预防计划的时候了。然而，鉴于技术使用的迅速变化，目前还不清楚互联网还是短信是首选的传递机制。我们拟议的研究项目将确定机会，利用技术作为一种新的信息传递机制与南非青少年。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): HIV/AIDS is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality in South Africa1,2, where an estimated one in five adults are HIV positive. Young people bear a particularly high disease burden: 34% of new cases of HIV occur among those 15-24 years of age. Moreover, it is estimated that if the current HIV infection rates remain stable in South Africa, 50% of 15-year-olds alive today will die from AIDS. The impact that HIV is having on South African adolescents cannot be overstated. Several researchers have recently noted that adolescent-focused interventions in South Africa are not having an impact as effective as desired. Certainly, intervention delivery mechanisms that are low-cost, scalable, and modifiable to reflect changing behavioral trends, such as the Internet and text messaging, should be considered as additional tools to add to the arsenal of available HIV prevention programs. As the first step in designing such an HIV prevention program, this R03 proposes to conduct a quantitative survey among 1,500 grade school youth in South Africa. Findings will identify opportunities that technology may pose for HIV prevention message delivery. This R03 will serve as a launching pad for a subsequent R01 proposing the design of a HIV prevention program that is culturally sensitive, as well as developmentally and technologically relevant for adolescents in South Africa. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: HIV/AIDS is a major contributor to morbidity and mortality for adolescents living in South Africa. New approaches to HIV prevention are needed. Now is the time to develop technology- based HIV prevention programs in resource-limited countries. Given the rapidity with which technology use is changing however, it is unclear whether the Internet or text messaging is the preferred delivery mechanism. Our proposed research project will identify opportunities to use technology as a novel message delivery mechanism with South African adolescents.