Project HOPE: online social network changes in an HIV prevention randomized controlled trial for African American and Latino men who have sex with men.
Sean D Young, Ian Holloway, Devan Jaganath, Eric Rice, Drew Westmoreland, Thomas Coates
Author Information
Sean D Young: Sean D. Young is with the Center for Digital Behavior, Department of Family Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. Ian Holloway is with the Department of Social Welfare, University of California, Los Angeles. Devan Jaganath is with the Department of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles. Eric Rice is with the Department of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles. Drew Westmoreland is with the Department of Epidemiology, University of California, Los Angeles. Thomas Coates is with the Center for World Health, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California, Los Angeles.
OBJECTIVES: We examined whether and how an HIV prevention diffusion-based intervention spread throughout participants' online social networks and whether changes in social network ties were associated with increased HIV prevention and testing behaviors. METHODS: We randomly assigned 112 primarily racial/ethnic minority men who have sex with men (MSM) to receive peer-delivered HIV (intervention) or general health (control) information over 12 weeks through closed Facebook groups. We recorded participants' public Facebook friend networks at baseline (September 2010) and follow-up (February 2011), and assessed whether changes in network growth were associated with changes in health engagement and HIV testing. RESULTS: Within-group ties increased in both conditions from baseline to follow-up. Among the intervention group, we found a significant positive relation between increased network ties and using social media to discuss sexual behaviors. We found a positive trending relationship between increased network ties and likelihood of HIV testing, follow-up for test results, and participation in online community discussions. No significant differences were seen within control groups. CONCLUSIONS: Among high-risk MSM, peer-led social media HIV prevention interventions can increase community cohesion. These changes appear to be associated with increased HIV prevention and testing behaviors.
