Evaluation of a Computer-Based Training Program to Teach Adults at Risk for HIV About Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis

Abstract

This study developed a computer-based program to teach HIV prevention behaviors and raise awareness of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among individuals at risk for HIV. The program was divided into modules containing educational material and multiple-choice questions. Participants received immediate feedback for responses and incentives for correct responses to multiple-choice questions. Participants trained on each module until they met speed and accuracy criteria. The modules were divided into: Course 1 (HIV), Course 2 (PrEP), and Course 3 (HIV risk behaviors). Tests of content from all three courses were delivered before and after participants completed each course. Test scores on the content delivered in the courses improved only after participants completed training on each course. HIV and PrEP knowledge was initially low and increased following completion of each part of the program. Computer-based training offers a convenient and effective approach to promoting HIV prevention knowledge, including use of PrEP.

Keywords: HIV prevention; PrEP; drug users; education; financial incentives; instructional technology.

Fig 1.

Group average and individual performance on Tests 1, 2, 3 and 4. Each test included the same 112 questions, divided into three parts that corresponded to questions in Courses 1 (top figure in each panel), Course 2 (middle figure in each panel) and Course 3 (bottom figure in each panel). Group averages on the tests are shown in the upper left panel (AVG). The remaining panels show data for individual participants. Participant numbers are shown in the bottom figure of each panel (P1-P11). In the group graph, within each course (top, middle and bottom graph), points that do not share a letter in common are significantly different.

Fig 2.

Changes in HIV prevention and PrEP knowledge across content areas of the education course from pretest (open bars) to posttest (shaded bars). Data are based on performance on the 112 item test. Data are grouped by the areas covered by the questions. Pretest scores are based on a percentage correct average on test 1, prior to completing any training. Averagered percentage correct scores from tests admimistered immediately after taking each course is termed posttest. Therefore, test 1 and test 2 percentage correct scores for all participants were used to compare knowledge across the four content areas prior to and after training in Course 1. Average percentage correct test scores for all participants from test 1 and test 3 were compared to show changes in knowledge across the five content areas in Course 2, and finally average test scores for all participants from test 1 and test 4 were compared to show changes in knowledge across the six content areas in Course 3.