AIDS fighter health defense: protocol for a randomized controlled trial to test a game-based intervention to improve adolescents' AIDS prevention ability.

Background: Although great progress has been made in the prevention and treatment of AIDS, there are still a considerable number of new infections annually, especially in adolescents. With the advance of technology, game-based education has gradually become an important tool for changing healthy behaviors among youth.

Methods: A protocol for conducting a randomized controlled trial to evaluate the "AIDS Fighter · Health Defense", a game-based AIDS education project aimed at improving the ability of adolescents to prevent AIDS. During the four-week intervention, participants will receive: 1) A virus combat game; 2) Goal setting to eliminate HIV; 3) Questions to be answered to be resurrected in the game; 4) Points ranking; 5) Recognition and Rewards. The primary outcomes include changes in participants' knowledge, stigma attitude, and risk behaviors attitude related to AIDS after four weeks of intervention. The secondary outcomes are the participants' AIDS-related risk behaviors three and six months after the intervention.

Discussion: AIDS Fighter· Health Defense may be an innovative approach to help adolescents improve AIDS prevention capabilities, fill the gap in game-based AIDS prevention education in China, and gain experience of AIDS management.

Trial Registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2000040195 . Registered 25 November 2020.