We Prevent: A Dyadic Approach to HIV Prevention and Care Among Young Male Couples

Young (15-24 years old) gay, bisexual and other men who have sex with men (YMSM) continue to
be the group most heavily impacted by HIV in the US, despite stable or declining rates of
infection among other groups. HIV prevention and research efforts in the US have continued to
target MSM as individuals, largely focusing on messages that encourage the uptake of
prevention efforts and reducing sexual risk. Recently, there has been growing interest in
structural interventions to reduce HIV risk, tackling social, economic and cultural factors
that place MSM in contexts of risk. However, despite socio-ecological theory postulating the
importance of individual, dyadic and social influences on HIV risk, there has been a dearth
of intervention efforts focused at the dyadic level.

We Prevent seeks to intervene on relationship communication skills as a pathway to HIV
prevention during the critical period of adolescence. The proposed activities will develop
and test a relationship skills focused HIV prevention intervention for young YMSM aged 15-19
as an addition to the current Couples HIV Testing and Counseling (CHTC). At home STI test
kits will also be sent in Phases II and III at baseline and each follow-up.

Phase I of the project includes collection of data from two groups of participants: 1) 40
YMSM in in-depth interviews and 10 YMSM in cognitive interviews and 2) 10 Technical Experts
(TEG), for a total sample of 60 research participants.

Phase II will consist of a one-arm pilot test of the intervention condition with 20 YMSM and
their partners (total 40 participants). Participants will complete a Baseline, and 3-month
assessment.

Phase III involves a pilot two-arm prospective RCT in which 160 YMSM and their partners (320
participants) will complete a Baseline assessment and then complete assessments every 3
months for 9 months.

Recruitment of all participants is in all 50 states and will be conducted through popular
social media sites (e.g. Facebook). All interviews will be conducted through the HIPAA
video-conferencing platform, VSee.

Specific Aims:

Phases I and II: To develop and refine a developmentally appropriate relationship skills
session as an addition to the current CHTC intervention for 15-19 year old YMSM and their
partners.

Phase III: To conduct a randomized controlled trial (RCT) comparing the efficacy of the
adapted intervention for YMSM versus a control condition, which is CHTC alone.

Inclusion Criteria:

- Ages 15 to 19 years (inclusive) at time of screening

- Satisfy consent laws of the state of residence

- Self-identify that they are in an emotional and sexual relationship with another male

- Assigned male sex at birth and currently identifies as male

- Self-reports that they engaged in any kind of sexual activity

- Has access to computer/personal device/smart phone with internet access

- Self-report being HIV negative or unknown serostatus

- Speak and read English

Exclusion Criteria:

- Does not satisfy consent laws of the state of residence

- Assigned female sex at birth

- Assigned male sex at birth but identifies as transgender or gender non-conforming

- Aged 14 years or younger or 20 or older at the time of screening

- HIV-positive

- Not currently in an emotional and/or sexual relationship with another male

- Does not speak or read English

- Reports intimate partner violence in the past 6 months