Effectiveness of a Cell Phone-Based Program for Abstinence and HIV Risk Prevention

University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver)

Status: Completed

Conditions: HIV Infections

Treatments: Behavioral: Nutrition-related text messaging; Behavioral: HIV-related text messaging

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00601237

R21MH083318 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

07-0463

DAHBR 9A-ASPA

COMIRB 07-0463

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will develop and test the effectiveness of a cell phone-based text messaging program to encourage abstinence, monogamy, or condom use among black urban males in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Full description

Sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), including HIV infections, are most commonly spread through unprotected sexual intercourse. STDs are a primary health issue, especially among young ethnic minorities in the United States. The rate of STDs is significantly greater in urban areas where ethnic minorities, particularly African-American males, are commonly represented. Despite this information, safe sexual practices, including correct condom use, are not commonly followed among minority males. It is believed that educational outreach designed to motivate and inform on the correct use of condoms will be effective in encouraging safer sex practices. A cell phone-based text messaging program designed to promote safer sex practices may provide an effective and easy means of delivery of treatment. This study will develop and test the effectiveness of a cell phone-based text messaging program to sustain abstinence, monogamy, or condom use among black urban males in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

Participation in this study will be divided into two phases. In the first study phase, participants will partake in a 90-minute focus group to help develop text message content and plans for treatment delivery. The next study phase will be a pilot test of the program developed in the first phase. Participants will be assigned to receive text messages concerning either HIV prevention or general nutrition. Participants receiving the HIV prevention text messages will be sent up to 90 text messages related to abstinence, monogamy, and condom use over a 3-month period. Participants will also be able to join interactive phone activities related to HIV. Participants receiving the nutritional text messages will be sent up to 30 messages about nutrition and healthy eating over the same period of time. Participants will complete telephone surveys at baseline and Months 3 and 6. The surveys will assess measures of abstinence, monogamy and condom use attitudes, norms, self-efficacy, and risk behaviors.

Enrollment: 103 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 16 to 20 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion and exclusion criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Resident of Philadelphia
• Self-identified black or African American
• English-speaking
• Cell phone user

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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103 participants in 3 patient groups

A

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive HIV-related text messages

Treatment:

Behavioral: HIV-related text messaging

B

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive nutrition-related text messages

Treatment:

Behavioral: Nutrition-related text messaging

C

No Intervention group

Description:

Participants will attend a 90-minute focus group to develop messages for the cell-phone program