A Mobile Phone Game to Prevent HIV Among Young Africans

 描述(由申请者提供)：拟议项目的总体目标是帮助减少撒哈拉以南非洲青年中的艾滋病毒发病率。我们拟议的研究的目标是通过开发、建立和试点测试一种针对青少年的互动电子游戏来推进这一目标，该游戏将受到社会行为和教学理论、循证实践和撒哈拉以南非洲关于青年性文化的独特形成性研究的启发。这个游戏的目的是：教育11-14岁的年轻玩家关于性健康和艾滋病毒/艾滋病；培养减少风险的技能和相关的自我效能，以预防艾滋病毒/性传播感染和意外怀孕；挑战有害的性别规范和艾滋病毒污名；促进与父母和监护人的对话。拟议的项目有以下目标：(1)为11-14岁的肯尼亚年轻人设计和开发一款手机游戏，重点是增加首次性行为的年龄和第一次性行为时避孕套的使用；(2)在肯尼亚西部农村和城市的60名11-14岁的青少年中对该游戏进行试点测试，重点是为更大规模的疗效试验提供信息所需的数据，包括评估可行性、可接受性、意愿和保留率。此外，该项目还有以下次要目标：提供关于游戏对性行为中介(包括知识、态度、感知的社会规范、行为意图和相关的自我效能)的影响的初步数据，以指导R01提案的制定。

 DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The overall goal of the proposed project is to contribute to reductions in HIV incidence among youth in sub- Saharan Africa. The objective of our proposed study is to advance that goal by developing, building and pilot- testing an interactive electronic game for preadolescents that will be informed by socio-behavioral and pedagogical theories, evidence-based practice, and unique formative research on youth sexual culture in sub- Saharan Africa. The game will be designed to: educate young players, ages 11-14, about sexual health and HIV/AIDS; build risk-reduction skills and related self-efficacy for prevention of HIV/STIs and unintended pregnancy; challenge harmful gender norms and HIV stigma; and foster dialogue with parents and guardians. The proposed project has the following aims: (1) to design and develop a mobile phone game for young Kenyans ages 11-14 focused on increasing age at sexual debut and condom use at first sex; (2) to pilot test the game with a sample of 60 preadolescents ages 11-14 in rural and urban Western Kenya focusing on data needed to inform a larger efficacy trial, including assessments of feasibility, acceptability, willingness, and retention. In addition, the project has the following secondary aim: to provide preliminary data on the impact of the game on mediators of sexual behavior (including knowledge, attitudes, perceived social norms, behavioral intentions, and related self-efficacy) to inform the development of an R01 proposal.