An mHealth Intervention for Pregnancy Prevention for LGB Teens: An RCT.

Background: Although lesbian, gay, bisexual and other sexual minority (LGB+) girls are more likely than heterosexual girls to be pregnant during adolescence, relevant pregnancy prevention programming is lacking.

Methods: A national randomized controlled trial was conducted with 948 14- to 18-year-old cisgender LGB+ girls assigned to either Girl2Girl or an attention-matched control group. Participants were recruited on social media between January 2017 and January 2018 and enrolled over the telephone.

Girl2Girl: How to develop a salient pregnancy prevention program for cisgender sexual minority adolescent girls.

Introduction: Although sexual minority girls are more likely than heterosexual girls to be pregnant during adolescence, programs tailored to their needs are non-existent. Here we describe the iterative development of Girl2Girl, a text messaging-based pregnancy prevention program for cisgender lesbian, gay, bisexual and other sexual minority (LGB+) girls across the United States.

Methods: Four activities are described: 1) 8 online focus groups to gain feedback about intended program components (n = 160), 2) writing the intervention content, 3) 4 online Content Advisory Teams that reviewed and provided feedback on the salience of drafted intervention content (n = 82), and 4) a beta test to confirm program functionality, the feasibility of assessments, and the enrollment protocol (n = 27).

Reasons Lesbian and Bisexual Adolescent Girls Have or Might Have Sex with Females or Males: Implications for Discordance between Sexual Identity and Behaviors and for Prevention of Pregnancy and STIs.

We examined reasons lesbian and bisexual adolescent girls have sex or, if sexually inexperienced, might have sex with girls or boys, and the role of internalized homonegativity in these relations and among lesbians. Girls were recruited online and classified as lesbian ( = 129) or bisexual ( = 193); the classification was validated. Love and pleasure were common reasons for having sex with girls, although more lesbian girls (LG) than bisexual girls (BG) endorsed love.

Feasibility, Acceptability, and Process Indicators for Guy2Guy, an mHealth HIV Prevention Program for Sexual Minority Adolescent Boys.

Purpose: Guy2Guy is one of the first mHealth HIV prevention programs for sexual minority boys aged 14-18 years, evaluated nationally. Here, we examine the program's feasibility and acceptability and explore participants' feedback about program content and components intended to invigorate program engagement.

Methods: Guy2Guy was tested in a randomized controlled trial of 302 youth assigned to either the intervention or an attention-matched control group.

Perceptions of middle school youth about school bullying.

Introduction: Bullying prevention remains a major focus for schools yet prevention programs have yielded limited efficacy. This suggests that efforts to make the programs more salient for youth may result in greater reductions in bullying behavior.

Methods: To inform the development of a text messaging-based bullying prevention program for middle school youth, we conducted two online, asynchronous focus groups with 37 youth in grades 6-8.

The Effect of a Text Messaging Based HIV Prevention Program on Sexual Minority Male Youths: A National Evaluation of Information, Motivation and Behavioral Skills in a Randomized Controlled Trial of Guy2Guy.

Unlabelled: There is a paucity of literature documenting how the constructs of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model are affected by exposure to technology-based HIV prevention programs. Guy2Guy, based on the IMB model, is the first comprehensive HIV prevention program delivered via text messaging and tested nationally among sexual minority adolescent males. Between June and November 2014, 302 14-18 year old gay, bisexual, and/or queer cisgender males were recruited across the US on Facebook and enrolled in a randomized controlled trial testing Guy2Guy versus an attention-matched control program.

Why Girls Choose Not to Use Barriers to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infection During Female-to-Female Sex.

Purpose: Using data from a national qualitative study of lesbian, bisexual, and other sexual minority adolescent girls in the U.S., this study examined their awareness of the risk of sexually transmitted infection (STI) and opportunities for barrier use.

Pilot RCT Results of an mHealth HIV Prevention Program for Sexual Minority Male Adolescents.

Background: Guy2Guy (G2G) is the first comprehensive HIV prevention program developed for sexual minority males as young as 14 years old and is delivered nationally via text messaging. Here, we report the results of the pilot randomized control trial.

Methods: G2G was tested against an attention-matched "healthy lifestyle" control (eg, self-esteem).

Reaching Adolescent Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men Online: Development and Refinement of a National Recruitment Strategy.

Background: Using social networking websites to recruit research participants is increasingly documented in the literature, although few studies have leveraged these sites to reach those younger than 18 years.

Objective: To discuss the development and refinement of a recruitment protocol to reach and engage adolescent gay, bisexual, and other teenaged men who have sex with men (AGBM). Participants were recruited for development and evaluation activities related to Guy2Guy, a text messaging-based human immunodeficiency virus infection prevention program.

Stepwise Development a Text Messaging-Based Bullying Prevention Program for Middle School Students (BullyDown).

Background: Bullying is a significant public health issue among middle school-aged youth. Current prevention programs have only a moderate impact. Cell phone text messaging technology (mHealth) can potentially overcome existing challenges, particularly those that are structural (e.

Ethical Considerations in Recruiting Online and Implementing a Text Messaging-Based HIV Prevention Program With Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Adolescent Males.

Purpose: There is a dearth of HIV prevention/healthy sexuality programs developed for adolescent gay and bisexual males (AGBM) as young as 14 years old, in part because of the myriad ethical concerns. To address this gap, we present our ethics-related experiences implementing Guy2Guy, a text messaging-based HIV prevention/healthy sexuality program, in a randomized controlled trial of 302 14- to 18-year-old sexual minority males.

Methods: Potential risks and efforts to reduce these risks are discussed within the framework of the Belmont Report: Respect for persons, beneficence (e.

Low Rates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Testing Among Adolescent Gay, Bisexual, and Queer Men.

Purpose: Adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBM) are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but little is known about testing rates among men aged 18 years and under or about the barriers that they face when contemplating an HIV test. Therefore, we investigate here the testing behaviors and barriers among a diverse national sample of AGBM.

Methods: A total of 302 AGBM aged 14-18 years were recruited via Facebook ads to participate in an mHealth (text messaging-based) HIV prevention program.

Iteratively Developing an mHealth HIV Prevention Program for Sexual Minority Adolescent Men.

Five activities were implemented between November 2012 and June 2014 to develop an mHealth HIV prevention program for adolescent gay, bisexual, and queer men (AGBM): (1) focus groups to gather acceptability of the program components; (2) ongoing development of content; (3) Content Advisory Teams to confirm the tone, flow, and understandability of program content; (4) an internal team test to alpha test software functionality; and (5) a beta test to test the protocol and intervention messages. Findings suggest that AGBM preferred positive and friendly content that at the same time, did not try to sound like a peer. They deemed the number of daily text messages (i.

To have sex or not to have sex? An online focus group study of sexual decision making among sexually experienced and inexperienced gay and bisexual adolescent men.

Adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBM) are at disproportionately high risk for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, yet healthy sexuality and HIV prevention programs grounded in experiences unique to AGBM (e.g., coming out) are lacking, as is the formative work necessary to inform such programs.

A Randomized Controlled Trial to Increase HIV Preventive Information, Motivation, and Behavioral Skills in Ugandan Adolescents.

Background: One in 25 Ugandan adolescents is HIV positive.

Purpose: The aim of this study is to examine the impact of an Internet-based HIV prevention program on Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills (IMB) Model-related constructs.

Methods: Three hundred and sixty-six sexually experienced and inexperienced students 13-18+years old in Mbarara, Uganda, were randomly assigned to the five-lesson CyberSenga program or the treatment-as-usual control group.

Online focus groups as an HIV prevention program for gay, bisexual, and queer adolescent males.

Seventy-five 14-18-year-old gay, bisexual, and queer (GBQ) males provided feedback about how their participation in national, online focus groups (FG) about GBQ sexual health related topics resulted in behavioral and attitudinal changes. Most sexually experienced youth agreed that their participation positively changed their views and behavioral intentions. Some said that being in the FG made them more comfortable talking about sex, their sexuality, and making safer choices such as negotiating condoms.

Process evaluation of a mHealth program: lessons learned from Stop My Smoking USA, a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for young adults.

Objective: Report lessons learned in an RCT of Stop My Smoking (SMS) USA, a mHealth smoking cessation program for young adult smokers.

Methods: 164 18-24-year-olds were recruited nationally, online in 2011. Program evaluation data were provided at 12-week post-Quit Day.

Opportunities for technology-based HIV prevention programming among high school students in Cape Town, South Africa.

One in three new cases of HIV in South Africa is among adolescents. Given that adolescents are particularly affected, scalable, and cost-effective prevention programs are urgently needed. This study aims to identify opportunities to integrate technology into youth HIV prevention efforts.

A mixed-methods study of condom use and decision making among adolescent gay and bisexual males.

Young men who have sex with men have the highest rates of new HIV infections in the U.S., but they have been understudied relative to other populations.

Steps in tailoring a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for young adults.

Steps to develop or refine text messaging-based interventions are largely missing from the literature. Here, the authors describe steps in refining Stop My Smoking USA, a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for smokers 18-25 years old. Research activities included the following: needs assessment focus groups (n = 35); a content advisory team to affirm message acceptability (n = 10); and two beta tests to confirm technological feasibility (n = 12 and 28, respectively).

Acceptability and feasibility of CyberSenga: an Internet-based HIV-prevention program for adolescents in Mbarara, Uganda.

Capitalizing on emerging data suggesting that HIV-preventive behaviors can be positively affected by Internet-based programs, we developed and tested CyberSenga, an Internet-based, comprehensive sexuality education program for adolescents in Mbarara, Uganda. Three hundred and sixty-six secondary school students were randomly assigned to either the five-lesson program (+ booster) or a treatment-as-usual control. At three-month follow-up, intervention participants provided feedback on the program acceptability.

Adolescent abstinence and unprotected sex in CyberSenga, an Internet-based HIV prevention program: randomized clinical trial of efficacy.

Context: Cost-effective, scalable programs are urgently needed in countries deeply affected by HIV.

Methods: This parallel-group RCT was conducted in four secondary schools in Mbarara, Uganda. Participants were 12 years and older, reported past-year computer or Internet use, and provided informed caregiver permission and youth assent.

Pilot RCT results of stop my smoking USA: a text messaging-based smoking cessation program for young adults.

Introduction: To address the lack of smoking cessation programs available to young adults, Stop My Smoking (SMS) USA, a text messaging-based smoking cessation program, was developed and pilot tested.

Methods: This was a two-arm randomized controlled trial with adaptive randomization (arms were balanced by sex and smoking level [heavy vs. light]), conducted nationally in the United States.

Usability and navigability of an HIV/AIDS internet intervention for adolescents in a resource-limited setting.

Use of the Internet is growing in Sub-Saharan Africa. Evidence of computer and Internet effectiveness for reduction in risk behaviors associated with HIV shown in US settings has yet to be replicated in Africa. We describe the development, usability, and navigability testing of an Internet-based HIV prevention program for secondary school students in Uganda, called CyberSenga.