scholarly journals A Crowdsourcing Open Contest to Design Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Promotion Messages: Protocol for an Exploratory Mixed Methods Study

10.2196/15590 ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 9 (1) ◽  
pp. e15590
Author(s):  
Jordan J White ◽  
Allison Mathews ◽  
Marcus P Henry ◽  
Meghan B Moran ◽  
Kathleen R Page ◽  
...  

Background In the United States, black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce HIV incidence. However, real-world implementation of PrEP outside of clinical trials has identified racial disparities in PrEP awareness, uptake, and adherence. In the context of a long history of medical mistrust and power imbalances between scientists and community members, strategies to increase uptake of PrEP among BMSM should consider ways to ensure messages address the needs and priorities of the community. Crowdsourcing contests shift traditional individual tasks to a large group and may enhance community engagement. Objective This paper describes the research protocol of a contest approach to soliciting PrEP promotion messages among BMSM in Baltimore. Methods Open-contest implementation and evaluation will proceed as follows: (1) organize a community steering group; (2) develop platforms to solicit crowd input; (3) engage the community to contribute ideas through a Web-based forum and in-person events; (4) evaluate contest entries using both community panel judge assessment and crowd voting; (5) utilize mixed methods to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and community engagement; and (6) disseminate contest results. Results This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Mental Health: R34MH116725) in May 2018 and was approved by the institutional review board in April 2018. The open contest started in February 2019, and data analyses for the mixed method evaluation are expected to complete in December 2019. Conclusions The contest will potentially bring new ideas in developing more impactful and locally defined PrEP promotion campaigns. We will determine whether an open-contest approach is acceptable among BMSM in Baltimore. If successful, this study can inform future projects using a similar approach on how to identify and implement programs and policies that are more responsive to community needs and that build up community assets. International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID) DERR1-10.2196/15590

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jordan J White ◽  
Allison Mathews ◽  
Marcus P Henry ◽  
Meghan B Moran ◽  
Kathleen R Page ◽  
...  

BACKGROUND In the United States, black men who have sex with men (BMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) can reduce HIV incidence. However, real-world implementation of PrEP outside of clinical trials has identified racial disparities in PrEP awareness, uptake, and adherence. In the context of a long history of medical mistrust and power imbalances between scientists and community members, strategies to increase uptake of PrEP among BMSM should consider ways to ensure messages address the needs and priorities of the community. Crowdsourcing contests shift traditional individual tasks to a large group and may enhance community engagement. OBJECTIVE This paper describes the research protocol of a contest approach to soliciting PrEP promotion messages among BMSM in Baltimore. METHODS Open-contest implementation and evaluation will proceed as follows: (1) organize a community steering group; (2) develop platforms to solicit crowd input; (3) engage the community to contribute ideas through a Web-based forum and in-person events; (4) evaluate contest entries using both community panel judge assessment and crowd voting; (5) utilize mixed methods to evaluate feasibility, acceptability, and community engagement; and (6) disseminate contest results. RESULTS This study was funded by the National Institutes of Health (National Institute of Mental Health: R34MH116725) in May 2018 and was approved by the institutional review board in April 2018. The open contest started in February 2019, and data analyses for the mixed method evaluation are expected to complete in December 2019. CONCLUSIONS The contest will potentially bring new ideas in developing more impactful and locally defined PrEP promotion campaigns. We will determine whether an open-contest approach is acceptable among BMSM in Baltimore. If successful, this study can inform future projects using a similar approach on how to identify and implement programs and policies that are more responsive to community needs and that build up community assets. INTERNATIONAL REGISTERED REPORT DERR1-10.2196/15590


Sexual Health ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (4) ◽  
pp. 397 ◽  
Author(s):  
Brandon J. Hill ◽  
Trevor Bak ◽  
Alicia VandeVusse ◽  
Kris Rosentel

This study describes the self-reported use of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in the personal advertisements of men seeking sex with men in the United States on the online classified advertisement site, Craigslist. Overall self-reported PrEP use was low (0.20%; 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.18–0.22). However, PrEP use in personal ads was described in conjunction with seeking sexual risk behaviours including ‘bareback’ sex (22.7%; 95% CI = 17.7–27.7%) and sex with substance use (26.8%; 95% CI = 21.5–32.1%). Only 4.0% of personal ads sought safe sex (3.3%; 95% CI = 1.2–5.4%) or required condoms (0.7%; 95% CI = –0.3–1.7%). Our findings underscore the need for increased public PrEP awareness, particularly among men seeking sex with men, as well as the importance of healthcare providers emphasising sexually transmissible infection prevention behaviours (i.e. condom use) used in conjunction with PrEP.


2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (Supplement_2) ◽  
pp. S457-S457
Author(s):  
Jun Tao ◽  
Madeline Montgomery ◽  
Collette Sosnowy ◽  
Hector R Nunez ◽  
Genoviva Sowemimo-Coker ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Men who have sex with men are disproportionately impacted by HIV in the United States and may benefit most from pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). However, differences may exist between men who only have sex with men (MSM) and men who have sex with both men and women (MSMW). MSMW may experience more barriers to accessing PrEP and may act as a potential bridge population for transmitting HIV to female sex partners. Differences in PrEP awareness and use between MSM and MSMW are unknown. Methods We evaluated all MSM and MSMW presenting to the Rhode Island Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) clinic and PrEP clinic from 2013–2017. Demographics and behavioral information were reviewed. Bivariate analyses were performed to present distributions of demographic and behavioral characteristics by sexual behavior. Logistic regression was conducted to explore associations between PrEP awareness/use and sexual behavior. Confounding variables were identified using the directed acyclic graphs (DAGs) and a priori. Results Of 1,795 male individuals, 84% (1,504) were MSM, and 16% (291) were MSMW. The median age of our study population was 29 (interquartile range [IQR]: 23–42). When compared with MSM, MSMW were more likely to be non-White (33% vs. 28%), uninsured (54% vs.46%), self-report more sexual partners in the past 12 months (median 6 [IQR: 3–9]: vs. 4 [IQR:2–10]), use intranasal cocaine (21% vs. 12%), and engage in selling (6% vs. 2%) or buying sex (12% vs. 4%, all P < 0.05). MSMW were also less likely to have a previous HIV test (77% vs. 89%) compared with MSM. MSMW were 59% (adjusted odds ratio [aOR]: 041, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.31–0.55) less likely to be aware of PrEP and 17% (aOR: 0.83, 95% CI: 0.41–1.66) less likely to report ever using PrEP after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, and self-reported HIV risk. Conclusion Despite engaging in higher risk behaviors, MSMW were significantly less likely to be aware of or use PrEP compared with MSM. Future PrEP interventions are needed to target this potentially high-risk bridge population. Disclosures All authors: No reported disclosures.


Author(s):  
Gianluca Voglino ◽  
Maria Rosaria Gualano ◽  
Stefano Rousset ◽  
Pietro Forghieri ◽  
Isabella Fraire ◽  
...  

Background: Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is suitable for high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infection risk people, foremost among whom are males who have sex with other males (MSM). This study evaluated knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding PrEP in a sample of Italian MSM, in order to hypothesize strategies to implement PrEP awareness and use. No previous study has assessed this issue; Methods: An online survey was given to an opportunistic sample of Italian MSM. The questionnaire investigated sexual behaviour and habits, HIV/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) knowledge and PrEP awareness, attitudes and practices. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify factors associated with PrEP knowledge; Results: A total of 196 MSM participated in this survey. Overall data showed that 87.2% of participants knew what PrEP is, but only 7.5% have ever used it. The main reason for not using PrEP was the cost of the therapy (26.9%). The principal source of PrEP information was the Internet (68.4%). Being regularly tested for HIV was significantly associated with PrEP knowledge (adjusted odds ratio (AdjOR) = 3.16; confidence interval (CI) = 1.06–9.29); Conclusions: Knowledge regarding PrEP was well established, but PrEP use was not equally widespread. It is necessary to improve research on PrEP usage in order to PrEP access to be granted.


2018 ◽  
Vol 12 (6) ◽  
pp. 1824-1834 ◽  
Author(s):  
Akshay Sharma ◽  
Erin M. Kahle ◽  
Stephen P. Sullivan ◽  
Rob Stephenson

Gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) in the United States remain heavily impacted by HIV. The purpose of this study was to describe intergenerational differences in functional knowledge of HIV prevention strategies, perceived risk, recent condomless anal sex (CAS), and HIV testing behavior. Eight hundred sexually active GBMSM were recruited via Facebook from August to September 2015, and administered a Web-based survey which included 12 multiple-choice questions to elicit data regarding functional knowledge of different HIV prevention approaches (e.g., condom use, pre-exposure prophylaxis post-exposure prophylaxis, treatment as prevention, circumcision). Cumulative logit and multivariable logistic models were formulated to examine birth cohort variations across four analytic outcomes. Younger generations were significantly more knowledgeable, as were GBMSM with higher education. Non-Hispanic non-White GBMSM and those reporting a bisexual/other sexual orientation had lower functional knowledge. Younger generations were equally concerned about contracting HIV as their older counterparts. Perceived risk was significantly higher among non-Hispanic non-White and Hispanic GBMSM, but lower among those with higher education and those in a relationship. Finally, birth cohort variations with respect to engaging in CAS with ≥2 men in the past 3 months and testing for HIV in the past year were not markedly pronounced. Younger GBMSM might be more knowledgeable about HIV prevention strategies compared to their predecessors, but are equally concerned about contracting HIV. Researchers and practitioners should consider intergenerational and other demographic differences while designing multifaceted HIV prevention programs for GBMSM.


2019 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 542-549 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alberto Edeza ◽  
Omar Galarraga ◽  
David Novak ◽  
Kenneth Mayer ◽  
Joshua Rosenberger ◽  
...  

In Latin America, men who have sex with men (MSM) remain disproportionately impacted by HIV. Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is an effective HIV prevention tool and has been FDA approved in the United States since 2012, but no Latin American state, with the recent exception of Brazil, has implemented PrEP guidelines. We carried out a multinational online survey of MSM in Latin America (n = 22698) in 2012 to assess whether MSM at highest risk of HIV acquisition (i.e., those engaging in condomless anal sex [CAS; n = 2606] and transactional sex [n = 1488]) had higher levels of awareness of PrEP, PrEP use and interest in participating in a PrEP trial. After adjusting for demographic and psychosocial characteristics including depressive symptoms, hazardous alcohol use, childhood sexual abuse, and sexual compulsivity, transactional sex and CAS were associated with increased PrEP awareness (aOR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.05–1.59, p < .001 and aOR = 1.22, 95% CI: 1.11–1.34, p < .001, respectively) and PrEP trial interest (aOR = 1.45, 95% CI: 1.25–1.71, p < .001 and aOR = 1.74, 95% CI: 1.57–1.95, p < .001, respectively). Findings demonstrate substantial awareness of and interest in PrEP among MSM with behavioral risk factors for HIV in Latin America, suggesting that this region is primed for PrEP implementation, which has been slow.


2021 ◽  
Vol 31 (Supplement_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
G Voglino ◽  
MR Gualano ◽  
S Rousset ◽  
F Bert ◽  
R Siliquini ◽  
...  

Abstract Background Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is suitable for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)high-infection-risk people, foremost amongst males who have sex with other males (MSM). This study evaluated knowledge, attitudes and practices regarding PrEP in a sample of Italian MSM, in order to hypothesize strategies to implement PrEP awareness and use. Methods An online survey was given to an opportunistic sample of Italian MSM. The questionnaire investigated sexual behaviour, knowledge on HIV and PrEP awareness, attitudes and practices. Univariable and multivariable logistic regressions were conducted to identify possible associations with PrEP knowledge. Results A total of 196 MSM completed the survey. Overall data showed very good HIV and safe sexual behaviour knowledge (94.4% of correct answers). Nevertheless, our sample rarely used PrEP because of existing barriers: high therapy price (26.9%)and fear of side effects (23.8%). Only 10.3% of partecipants were informed on HIV and PReP by institutional channels, even less (7.5%) from specialized physicians and general practitioners. The most significant association with PrEP knowledge was having regular HIV-tests (adjusted odds ratio (AdjOR) = 3.16; confidence interval (CI) = 1.06-9.29); Conclusions PreP's Knowledge was well established, but PrEP use was not widespread. It is necessary to improve communication on PrEP and to lower existing barriers in order to grant access to PrEP access. Key messages Barriers to access PrEP have to be lowered. Healthcare personnel has to be involved in PrEP's benefits communication.


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