Young Men and Media Study

Boston University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sexual Behavior

Treatments: Behavioral: Available websites on safe sex and preventing STIs; Behavioral: Young Men & Media Program

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT04109443

K23MH109346 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

H-39323

Details and patient eligibility

About

Adolescent sexual minority males (ASMM) continue to account for a disproportionate number of HIV infections in the United States. Racial and ethnic minority populations are particularly affected. Increased HIV rates reflect sexual risk behaviors during early sexual experiences. Research suggests that initial sexual risk-taking occurs during adolescence among sexual minority males. Therefore, it is important for HIV prevention interventions to target adolescent sexual minority males. Targeting sexual minority males during adolescence will help them learn and establish healthy sexual behaviors early in their psychosexual development, which will have both immediate and long-term health benefits.To promote adolescent sexual minority males' critical examination of online media and decrease their sexual risk-taking, this study proposes an exploratory clinical trial to pilot test an online sexual health media literacy intervention that was developed during formative research for feasibility and acceptability. Overall, the proposed research has the potential to reach a wide audience of sexual minority males early in their sexual development, ultimately decreasing their sexual risk-taking and reducing the number of new HIV infections in this population.

Enrollment: 154 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 14 to 17 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Self-identify as sexual minority
• Have intentionally accessed SEOM
• Have a valid personal email address
• Be a US resident
• Be new to the study

Exclusion criteria

• Are unwilling or unable to provide informed assent
• Are unable to understand and read English
• Do not have the appropriate device and necessary software to experience all the intervention content

Trial design

Primary purpose: Other

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

---

154 participants in 2 patient groups

Young Men & Media Program group

Experimental group

Description:

Participants randomized to the Young Men and Media Program group will have access to the online sexual health media literacy materials. They will also complete three assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3 month follow-up.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Young Men & Media Program

Control group

Active Comparator group

Description:

Participants randomized to the control group will have access to available websites (such as by the CDC) that provide information about sexual health and preventing sexually transmitted infections including HIV. They will complete three assessments at baseline, post-intervention, and a 3 month follow-up.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Available websites on safe sex and preventing STIs