Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Randomized Controlled Trial
. 2022 Dec;26(12):3981-3990.
doi: 10.1007/s10461-022-03724-3. Epub 2022 Jul 13.

Uptake and Acceptability of MyChoices: Results of a Pilot RCT of a Mobile App Designed to Increase HIV Testing and PrEP Uptake Among Young American MSM

Katie B Biello  1   2   3   4 , Salvatore R Daddario  5   6 , Jonathan Hill-Rorie  5 , Donna Futterman  7 , Patrick S Sullivan  8 , Lisa Hightow-Weidman  9 , Jeb Jones  8 , Matthew J Mimiaga  5   10 , Kenneth H Mayer  5   6   11
Affiliations
Randomized Controlled Trial

Uptake and Acceptability of MyChoices: Results of a Pilot RCT of a Mobile App Designed to Increase HIV Testing and PrEP Uptake Among Young American MSM

Katie B Biello et al. AIDS Behav. 2022 Dec.

Abstract

Young men who have sex with men (YMSM) remain at disproportionate risk for HIV acquisition in the United States (US), yet use of evidence-based prevention strategies, including routine HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), remain low. Smartphones and mobile app usage are nearly ubiquitous in this population. Given the potential for scalability, a mobile app to increase HIV testing and PrEP use among YMSM has the potential to make an extraordinary public health impact if efficacious. Based on extensive formative, community-engaged research, we developed a theory-driven mobile app-MyChoices-to increase HIV testing and PrEP uptake among YMSM. In a pilot randomized controlled trial (RCT), participants (n = 60) were randomized 2:1 to receive MyChoices or standard of care (SOC). Data from 3 to 6-month post-baseline assessments demonstrate that the app was highly acceptable (System Usability Score; mean = 75.8, SD = 10.7) and feasible (94% used the MyChoices app at least once; mean = 15.3 sessions, SD = 9.8). While not powered to assess efficacy, those in the MyChoices arm had 22% higher prevalence of HIV testing over follow-up compared to those in the SOC arm (NS). There was no difference in PrEP uptake. A fully-powered efficacy trial is warranted; if efficacy is demonstrated, the MyChoices app could be easily scaled to reach YMSM across the US.

Keywords: HIV testing; Men who have sex with men; Mobile app; PrEP; Youth.

PubMed Disclaimer

References

    1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV Surveillance Report, 2019. vol. 32; 2021. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/library/reports/hiv-surveillance.html . Accessed 1 June 2022.
    1. Hess KL, Hu X, Lansky A, Mermin J, Hall HI. Lifetime risk of a diagnosis of HIV infection in the United States. Ann Epidemiol. 2017;27(4):238–43. - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Matthews DD, Herrick AL, Coulter RW, et al. Running backwards: consequences of current HIV incidence rates for the next generation of black MSM in the United States. AIDS Behav. 2016;20(1):7–16. - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Cohen MS, Chen YQ, McCauley M, et al. Prevention of HIV-1 infection with early antiretroviral therapy. N Engl J Med. 2011;365(6):493–505. - DOI - PubMed - PMC
    1. Bennett CL, Marks SJ, Liu T, Clark MA, Carey MP, Merchant RC. Factors associated with lack of HIV testing among Latino immigrant and Black patients at 4 geographically and demographically diverse emergency departments. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2020. https://doi.org/10.1177/2325958220970827 . - DOI - PubMed - PMC

Publication types

LinkOut - more resources