223100 Using computer technology for HIV/STD prevention among African Americans: Development of the Tailored Information Program for Safer Sex (TIPSS)

Monday, November 8, 2010

Seth M. Noar, PhD , School of Journalism and Mass Communication, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Elizabeth M. Webb , Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Stephanie Van Stee , Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Colleen Redding, PhD , Department of Psychology, University of Rhode Island, Kingston, RI
Sonja Feist-Price , Department of Communication, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY
Richard A. Crosby, PhD , Department of Health Behavior, University of Kentucky College of Public Health, Lexington, KY
Adewale Troutman, MD, MPH, MA, CPH , College of Public Health, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL
Computer technology-based interventions offer much promise given their ability to deliver interactive and multimedia content tailored to the individual at a relatively low cost. Innovative preventive interventions encouraging at-risk African Americans to increase safer sexual behaviors are especially urgently needed. The current paper presents the development of the Tailored Information Program for Safer Sex (TIPSS), an individually tailored, theory-based, computer-delivered health communication intervention designed to increase consistent and correct condom use among heterosexually active African Americans. The intervention was developed over a 2-year period through the collaboration of a research team, graphic design team, and technical development team. Formative qualitative research (focus groups, total N = 81) and quantitative surveys (total N = 293) with the target audience informed the development of the intervention. The intervention is based on the Attitude-Social Influence-Efficacy (ASE) model and skills training principles. Stage of change serves as the central organizing construct for the intervention. The program assesses individuals by partner type (main partner, casual partner) and delivers individually tailored feedback on condom attitudes, social influences, self-efficacy, and condom negotiation. The TIPSS program also contains skill-building exercises on condom negotiation and correct condom use. The TIPSS intervention is currently being tested in a randomized controlled trial at a large publicly funded STD clinic in the southeastern United States. The steps taken to develop this innovative, computer-tailored intervention will be presented, and lessons learned along the way will be discussed. Screen shots of the finished intervention will be presented, and preliminary trial results will be shared.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Participants will learn what an individually tailored intervention is and how it works. Participants will learn the steps involved in developing a computer-based intervention.

Keywords: Condom Use, Computer-Assisted

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the Principal Investigator of the NIH grant from which this intervention was developed. I have had more than 10 years of research experience with computer-tailored interventions.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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