ResearchProjects

Adolescents and young adults at greatest risk for HIV are unlikely to have access to primary care and limited access to HIV testing and prevention education. When youth are offered testing, many decline because they believe that they are not at risk, or because they fear being stigmatized. This project developed a Mobile Augmented Screening tool to increase HIV testing among youth, and link those who test positive to care. The tool consisted of three components: 1) a tablet-based intervention, which includes a brief video designed to increase HIV testing, 2) automated text-messages to facilitate linkage to care for those who test positive for HIV, and 3) ongoing text-based prevention education for those who test negative or decline testing. Emergency department patients aged 13-24 were interviewed regarding how video and text messages could be used most effectively. Video and text messages were developed based on the information provided from these interviews, and evaluated for efficacy and acceptability.