Willingness of women living with HIV (WLH) to participate in a video-group behavioral intervention- a novel strategy for expanding access

BACKGROUND: Prevention-for-positives interventions have not been adapted for delivery via Internet-based videoconferencing—a novel strategy that could expand access. We explored willingness to participate in a video-group behavioral intervention among women living with HIV (WLH).

METHODS: 51 WLH were recruited from two HIV/AIDS clinics in Tampa, Florida, and completed an in-person interview.

RESULTS: WLH (M age = 42.8 years; SD = 10.3) were Black/African American (64.7%) and Hispanic/Latina (21.6%). Most were comfortable using a computer (64.7%), although many had no home computer (47.8%), and some reported they “never” use a computer for Internet or email (31.5%). Most had never participated in a video-chat/videoconference (84.8%). Despite lack of experience with videoconferencing, 56.9% said they would be willing to attend an Internet-based video-group intervention accessed at a local HIV/AIDS-related service organization (ASO) and 17.6% said they might be willing to attend. In bivariate logistic regression analyses, those who said they would never participate in any group “that dealt with being HIV-positive” were significantly less likely to report willingness to try a video-group for WLH (OR = 0.05; 95%CI: 0.006-0.530). Neither demographic characteristics nor computer/Internet use/experience were significantly associated with willingness to “try out” a video-group program.

CONCLUSIONS: Providing WLH access to video-group interventions at local ASOs is a promising strategy for intervention dissemination. Our findings indicate that many WLH will find this strategy acceptable and that video-group technology could expand intervention access substantially. Future research is needed to test the efficacy and uptake of video-group interventions.