Effectiveness of an Online Prevention Program in Reducing the Risk of STD Infection in Young Adults (Youthnets)

University of Colorado Denver (CU Denver)

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sexually Transmitted Diseases; HIV Infections

Treatments: Behavioral: Control Internet based program; Behavioral: Youthnet Internet-based program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT00255944

02-0764b

DAHBR 9A-ASI

R01MH063690 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Details and patient eligibility

About

This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored interactive online risk reduction program versus a standard online risk reduction program in reducing the risk of Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD) infection in young adults.

Full description

Adolescents and young adults are at the greatest risk for acquiring an STD. Approximately 3 million people between the ages of 18 and 24 become infected each year. Education about the risks and consequences of unprotected sex is a powerful tool that can be used to prevent or reduce the risk of infection. The program in this study will deliver messages to educate participants about condom use and the risk of STD infection. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a tailored interactive online risk reduction program versus a standard online risk reduction program in reducing the risk of STD infection in young adults.

Participants in this 1-year open-label study will be recruited exclusively via the internet. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive internet-based messages from either the Youthnet program or the control program. Messages from the Youthnet program will be interactive and tailored specifically to Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Sexually Transmitted Diseases (HIV/STD) risk reduction. The control program will deliver standard STD/HIV prevention messages. Participants will be assessed at baseline and a follow-up session 4 months after enrollment. Frequency of condom use and attitudes toward condom use will be assessed using behavioral scales.

Enrollment: 2,622 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 25 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Has access to the internet
• Has an e-mail address

Exclusion criteria

• Colorado resident

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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2,622 participants in 2 patient groups

Youthnet messages on Facebook

Experimental group

Description:

Participants will receive internet-based messages from the Youthnet program

Treatment:

Behavioral: Youthnet Internet-based program

Messages on Facebook about current events

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants will receive internet-based messages from the control program

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control Internet based program