Social Media HIV Prevention Intervention for High Risk Rural Women

The overall aim of this R34 application is to adapt and feasibility test an evidence-based intervention for HIV prevention for a high-risk group of rural women in Appalachia. This study has potential to make a significant contribution to science by advancing knowledge on the use of social media to increase access to prevention interventions to reduce high-risk substance use and related health disparities among rural women during a time of emerging and significant public health risk in Appalachia. Successfully accomplishing study aims will respond to a critical and unmet need to increase the reach and scope of prevention interventions using social media, as well as advance knowledge about the high-risk drug use behaviors of this underserved group. Considering the need for prevention interventions among this high-risk group and the popularity of Facebook, the purpose of this R34 proposal is to adapt an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention for social media delivery and to feasibility test through a randomized control trial with 60 high-risk rural women drug users. The following aims guide the proposed study: (1) Adapt the NIDA Standard for HIV prevention for delivery via Facebook; and (2) Examine the feasibility of the adapted intervention with high-risk rural women through a randomized control pilot. The proposed use of Facebook in this study is promising because it is a stable, widely used, cost-efficient platform that could be leveraged to increase access to critically needed HIV prevention education. This study presents an exciting opportunity to examine the use of Facebook as a technique to expand the reach of evidence-based preventions interventions for high-risk drug users who are not likely to engage in formal treatment. Findings from this study will inform development of the larger R01 which would allow examination of the effectiveness and sustainability of this HIV prevention intervention in understudied, high risk populations.

Inclusion criteria

• NM-ASSIST indicators of high-risk drug use during the 6 months before jail (including injection);
• engagement in at least one sexual risk behavior in the past 3 months;
• no evidence of cognitive impairment (GAIN, Dennis, 1998),
• no evidence of active psychosis (currently experiencing hallucinations),
• no self-reported current symptoms of physical withdrawal from a recent episode of drug use;
• self-reported HIV negative status;
• projected jail release date within 3 months;
• active Facebook user prior to entering jail (defined as having a Facebook account that was checked at least once a week); and
• reside in a rural, Appalachian county prior to incarceration.

Exclusion criteria

• Not incarcerated and screened eligible based on above mentioned criteria