Harnessing the Power of Text Messaging to Invigorate AMSM HIV Preventive Behavior

Adolescent men who have sex with men (AMSM) are disproportionately affected by HIV. They
account for almost 70% of HIV diagnoses among all young people and are the only risk group
with an increasing number of HIV/AIDS diagnoses. Despite this disproportionate burden,
current HIV prevention programs focus primarily on adults and heterosexual youth. As such,
there is an urgent need for evidence-based HIV prevention programs targeting AMSM. Because
issues affecting sexual health decisions among AMSM are unique, intervention programs cannot
be translated from heterosexually focused interventions. Instead, they need to be designed
from the ground up to ensure appropriately tailored content that resonates with the target
population. Evidence-based HIV prevention programs targeting AMSM are urgently needed.

The Guy2Guy (G2G) intervention is a text messaging-based HIV prevention program designed for
the specific needs of adolescent males who self-identify as gay, bisexual, or queer (GBQ)
and are between the ages of 14-18 years. The intervention will be tested in a randomized
controlled trial against an attention-matched control group which receives text messages
about healthy lifestyle (e.g., exercise, nutrition). A total of 184 GBQ adolescent males
will be into the study using an online recruitment strategy. The study is being conducted by
researchers at the Center for Innovative Public Health Research and Northwestern University.

The primary efficacy outcome measures are unprotected sex acts and abstinence at 3-months
follow-up. The investigators hypothesize that those in the G2G intervention will be
significantly more likely to be engage in HIV preventive behavior (e.g., use condoms when
having vaginal/anal sex) at 3-months follow-up compared to the attention-matched control
group. Secondary efficacy outcomes include unprotected sex acts and abstinence by sexual
experience groups (i.e., ever had sex versus never had sex at baseline), increased HIV
testing rates, and unprotected sex acts and abstinence at intervention end (5 weeks post
enrollment) for those in the intervention versus control groups; and for participants who
were sexually experienced and inexperienced at baseline, separately.

If effective, G2G has promise to be quickly and cost-effectively implemented to scale to
help to curb the spread of HIV infection among AMSM long into adulthood.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Self-identified as gay, bisexual, or queer

- Male biological sex

- Male gender

- Between the ages of 14-18

- English speaking

- Exclusive owners of a cell phone with an unlimited text messaging plan, have used
text messaging for at least 6 months, and intend to have the same number for the next
6 months

- Able to provide informed assent, including an acceptable score on the "capacity to
consent assessment"

Exclusion Criteria:

- Female or Transgender

- Participated in earlier study development activities