TY - JOUR
T1 - An internet-based, peer-delivered messaging intervention for HIV testing and condom use among men who have sex with men in India (CHALO!)
T2 - Pilot randomized comparative trial
AU - Patel, Viraj V.
AU - Rawat, Shruta
AU - Dange, Alpana
AU - Lelutiu-Weinberger, Corina
AU - Golub, Sarit A.
N1 - Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank all the participants, Vivek Anand, Rohan Pujari, Cameron Kamath, Mayank Bisht, and other HST staff members in making this study possible, and Nataly Rios in assisting with preparation of this manuscript. This study was supported in part by a pilot grant from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine’s Global Health Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH) K23MH102118 (principal investigator VP), the Einstein-Rockefeller-CUNY Center for AIDS Research (NIH P30AI051519), and NIH R25DA023021 (principal investigator JA). The funding sources had no role in the study design, conduct of the study, data collection or analysis, interpretation of results, manuscript preparation, or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Funding Information:
The authors would like to thank all the participants, Vivek Anand, Rohan Pujari, Cameron Kamath, Mayank Bisht, and other HST staff members in making this study possible, and Nataly Rios in assisting with preparation of this manuscript. This study was supported in part by a pilot grant from the Albert Einstein College of Medicine?s Global Health Center, National Institutes of Health (NIH) K23MH102118 (principal investigator VP), the Einstein-Rockefeller-CUNY Center for AIDS Research (NIH P30AI051519), and NIH R25DA023021 (principal investigator JA). The funding sources had no role in the study design, conduct of the study, data collection or analysis, interpretation of results, manuscript preparation, or decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
Publisher Copyright:
© Viraj V V Patel, Shruta Rawat, Alpana Dange, Corina Lelutiu-Weinberger, Sarit A Golub.
PY - 2020/4
Y1 - 2020/4
N2 - Background: Leveraging internet-based communication tools (eg, messaging apps, SMS text messaging, and email) may be an effective avenue for delivery of HIV prevention messages to men who have sex with men (MSM) in India, but there are limited models for such internet-based interventions. Objective: The CHALO! pilot was an online educational and behavioral intervention aimed to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of a peer-delivered, internet-based messaging intervention for HIV testing and consistent condom use for MSM in India. The messages addressed barriers to HIV testing and condom use and were theoretically based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills model. Methods: Between February and March 2015, we recruited, enrolled, and randomized 244 participants via online advertisements on mobile dating apps and Facebook. Eligible men (18 years or older, sexually active with other men, and self-reported HIV-negative or unknown status) were randomized to receive educational and motivational messages framed as either approach (ie, a desirable outcome to be achieved) or avoidance (an undesirable outcome to be avoided) over 12 weeks via internet-based messaging platforms. Participants completed online surveys at baseline and immediately postintervention. Results: Participants were similar across arms with respect to sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Over 82.0% (200/244) of participants were retained (ie, viewed final messages), and 52.3% (130/244) of them completed the follow-up survey. Of those completing the follow-up survey, 82.3% (107/130) liked or strongly liked participating in CHALO!. The results showed a significant increase in self-reported HIV testing in the past 6 months from baseline to follow-up (41/130, 31.5% to 57/130, 43.8%; P=.04). When including those who reported intentions to test, this percentage increased from 44.6% (58/130) at baseline to 65.4% (85/130) at follow-up (P<.01). When examining intentions to test among those without prior HIV testing, intentions increased from 32% (16/50) of the sample at baseline to 56% (28/50) of the sample at follow-up (P=.02). Condom use during anal sex did not significantly change from baseline to follow-up. HIV testing and condom use did not significantly differ between approach and avoidance conditions at follow-up. Conclusions: As one of the first studies of an online HIV prevention intervention for Indian MSM, CHALO! was feasible to implement by a community-based organization, was acceptable to participants, and demonstrated potential to improve HIV testing rates.
AB - Background: Leveraging internet-based communication tools (eg, messaging apps, SMS text messaging, and email) may be an effective avenue for delivery of HIV prevention messages to men who have sex with men (MSM) in India, but there are limited models for such internet-based interventions. Objective: The CHALO! pilot was an online educational and behavioral intervention aimed to determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of a peer-delivered, internet-based messaging intervention for HIV testing and consistent condom use for MSM in India. The messages addressed barriers to HIV testing and condom use and were theoretically based on the information-motivation-behavioral skills model. Methods: Between February and March 2015, we recruited, enrolled, and randomized 244 participants via online advertisements on mobile dating apps and Facebook. Eligible men (18 years or older, sexually active with other men, and self-reported HIV-negative or unknown status) were randomized to receive educational and motivational messages framed as either approach (ie, a desirable outcome to be achieved) or avoidance (an undesirable outcome to be avoided) over 12 weeks via internet-based messaging platforms. Participants completed online surveys at baseline and immediately postintervention. Results: Participants were similar across arms with respect to sociodemographic and behavioral characteristics. Over 82.0% (200/244) of participants were retained (ie, viewed final messages), and 52.3% (130/244) of them completed the follow-up survey. Of those completing the follow-up survey, 82.3% (107/130) liked or strongly liked participating in CHALO!. The results showed a significant increase in self-reported HIV testing in the past 6 months from baseline to follow-up (41/130, 31.5% to 57/130, 43.8%; P=.04). When including those who reported intentions to test, this percentage increased from 44.6% (58/130) at baseline to 65.4% (85/130) at follow-up (P<.01). When examining intentions to test among those without prior HIV testing, intentions increased from 32% (16/50) of the sample at baseline to 56% (28/50) of the sample at follow-up (P=.02). Condom use during anal sex did not significantly change from baseline to follow-up. HIV testing and condom use did not significantly differ between approach and avoidance conditions at follow-up. Conclusions: As one of the first studies of an online HIV prevention intervention for Indian MSM, CHALO! was feasible to implement by a community-based organization, was acceptable to participants, and demonstrated potential to improve HIV testing rates.
KW - EHealth
KW - HIV
KW - India
KW - Internet
KW - Intervention
KW - LGBT
KW - MHealth
KW - Men who have sex with men
KW - Mobile phone
KW - Prevention
KW - Sexual minority
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U2 - 10.2196/16494
DO - 10.2196/16494
M3 - Article
C2 - 32297875
AN - SCOPUS:85090429630
SN - 2369-2960
VL - 6
JO - JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
JF - JMIR Public Health and Surveillance
IS - 2
M1 - e16494
ER -
