Ybarra ML, Agaba E, Chen E, Nyemara N. Iterative Development of In This toGether, the First mHealth HIV Prevention Program for Older Adolescents in Uganda. AIDS Behav. 2020 Aug;24(8):2355-2368. doi: 10.1007/s10461-020-02795-4. Abstract: In Uganda, HIV prevention programming for older adolescents is noticeably lacking, even though HIV incidence rates increase dramatically from adolescence into young adulthood. Here we describe the development of In This toGether (ITG), the first-of-its-kind, comprehensive text messaging-based HIV prevention program for both sexually active and abstinent 18- to 22-year-old Ugandans. Five iterative development activities are described: (1) conducting focus groups (FGs) to better understand the sexual decision-making of older adolescents across Uganda … [Read more...]
Feasibility, acceptability, and process indicators for Guy2Guy, an mHealth HIV prevention program for sexual minority adolescent boys
Ybarra ML, Prescott T, Mustanski B, Parsons J, Bull SS. Feasibility, Acceptability, and Process Indicators for Guy2Guy, an mHealth HIV Prevention Program for Sexual Minority Adolescent Boys. J Adolesc Health. 2019 Sep;65(3):417-422. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2019.04.025. Epub 2019 Jul 2. Abstract: Purpose: Guy2Guy is one of the first mHealth HIV prevention programs for sexual minority boys aged 14-18 years, evaluated nationally. Here, we examine the program's feasibility and acceptability and explore participants' feedback about program content and components intended to invigorate program engagement. Methods: Guy2Guy was tested in a randomized controlled trial of 302 youth assigned to either the intervention or an attention-matched control group. At 3-month follow-up, … [Read more...]
Primary prevention of perpetration and experience of forced sex for South African youth requires careful attention to risk in context
Bull SS, Ybarra ML. Primary Prevention of Perpetration and Experience of Forced Sex for South African Youth Requires Careful Attention to Risk in Context. JAMA Netw Open. 2018 Aug 3;1(4):e181222. doi: 10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2018.1222. PubMed ID: 30646108. View full article for free (will open new page on publisher’s website) … [Read more...]
The effect of a text messaging based HIV prevention program on sexual minority male youths: A national evaluation of information, motivation and behavioral skills in a randomized controlled trial of Guy2Guy
Ybarra ML, Liu W, Prescott TL, Phillips II G, Mustanski B. The effect of a text messaging based HIV prevention program on sexual minority male youths: A national evaluation of information, motivation and behavioral skills in a randomized controlled trial of Guy2Guy. Journ. of Adolesc. 2018. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-018-2118-1 Abstract: There is a paucity of literature documenting how the constructs of the Information–Motivation–Behavioral Skills (IMB) model are affected by exposure to technology-based HIV prevention programs. Guy2Guy, based on the IMB model, is the first comprehensive HIV prevention program delivered via text messaging and tested nationally among sexual minority adolescent males. Between June and November 2014, 302 14–18year old gay, bisexual, and/or queer … [Read more...]
Attitudinal and behavioral differences between youth who have had anal sex and those who have not in Cape Town, South Africa
Ybarra M, Price-Feeney M, Mwaba K. Attitudinal and behavioral differences between youth who have had anal sex and those who have not in Cape Town, South Africa.International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research 2017 Conference; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 12-13 Jul 2017. Attitudinal and behavioral differences between youth who have had anal sex and those who have not in Cape Town, South Africa from Center for Innovative Public Health Research … [Read more...]
Opportunities to tailor HIV prevention programming for Ugandan young adults
Ybarra M, Prescott T, Kyagaba E. Opportunities to tailor HIV prevention programming for Ugandan young adults. International Society for Sexually Transmitted Diseases Research 2017 Conference; Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; 12-13 Jul 2017. Opportunities to tailor HIV prevention programming for Ugandan young adults from Center for Innovative Public Health Research … [Read more...]
Pilot RCT results of an mHealth HIV prevention program for sexual minority male adolescents
Ybarra ML, Prescott TL, Phillips II GL, Bull SS, Parsons JT, Mustanski B. Pilot RCT results of an mHealth HIV prevention program for sexual minority male adolescents. Peds. 2017; 140 (1): 1-10. 10.1542/peds.2016-2999. Abstract: BACKGROUND: Guy2Guy (G2G) is the first comprehensive HIV prevention program developed for sexual minority males as young as 14 years old and is delivered nationally via text messaging. Here, we report the results of the pilot randomized control trial. METHODS: G2G was tested against an attention-matched "healthy lifestyle" control (eg, self-esteem). Both programs lasted 5 weeks and delivered 5 to 10 text messages daily. A 1-week booster was delivered 6 weeks subsequently. Participants were cisgender males ages 14 to 18 years old who were gay, bisexual, and/or … [Read more...]
Attitudinal and Behavioral Differences between Youth Who Have Had Anal Sex and Those Who Have Not in Cape Town, South Africa
Ybarra ML, Price-Feeney M, Mwaba, K. Attitudinal and Behavioral Differences between Youth Who Have Had Anal Sex and Those Who Have Not in Cape Town, South Africa. Oral presentation at the 2016 Annual Meeting of the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality; 16-17 Nov 2016, Phoenix, AZ. Data from the Cape Town Adolescent Health Survey collected in 2012 are discussed. … [Read more...]
Program acceptability of a text-messaging based HIV prevention program for gay, bisexual, and queer adolescent males
Ybarra ML, Prescott TL, Phillips II GL, Parsons J, Bull S, Mustanski B. Program acceptability of a text-messaging based HIV prevention program for gay, bisexual, and queer adolescent males. Oral presentation at the 2015 National HIV Prevention Conference; 8 Dec 2015; Atlanta, GA. Data from the Guy2Guy study collected in 2012-2013 are discussed. … [Read more...]
Low rates of human immunodeficiency virus testing among adolescent gay, bisexual, and queer men
Phillips G 2nd, Ybarra M, Prescott T, Parsons J, Mustanski B. Low rates of Human Immunodeficiency Virus testing among adolescent gay, bisexual, and queer men. J Adolesc Health. 2015;57(4):407-12. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2015.06.014. Abstract: PURPOSE: Adolescent gay and bisexual men (AGBM) are disproportionately affected by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), but little is known about testing rates among men aged 18 years and under or about the barriers that they face when contemplating an HIV test. Therefore, we investigate here the testing behaviors and barriers among a diverse national sample of AGBM. METHODS: A total of 302 AGBM aged 14–18 years were recruited via Facebook ads to participate in an mHealth (text messaging-based) HIV prevention program. Recruitment was … [Read more...]