2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
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Online Program

325293
Use of the Information Motivation Behavioral Skills Model to Understand the High-Risk Young Adults' Use of the HIV Home Test as a Risk Reduction Tool


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Rebecca Schnall, RN, MPH, PhD, School of Nursing, Columbia University, New York, NY
William Brown, DrPH, MA, HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, Columbia University, New York, NY
Background: Youth and young adults remain disproportionately at risk for HIV. Moreover, nearly 60% of youth and young adults who are infected do not know. HIV home tests may mitigate these disparities. However, little is known about how high-risk young adults use HIV home tests or perceive them as a risk reduction tool.

Methods: We recruited 21 high-risk young adults in a descriptive study to understand their perceptions of the use of the HIV home test. This study was guided by the Information, Motivation, Behavior Skills (IMB) Model. Mixed methods analyses of surveys and in-depth qualitative interviews were used to examine young adults’ use of the HIV home test. We collected demographics, HIV home testing information, HIV knowledge, attitudes self-efficacy and intentions to use the HIV home test.

Results: Study participants were 19-24 years old. All of our participants were racial and/or ethnic minorities and 9 identified as being homeless. Information needs/gaps included: how to use the test, the window period for sero-conversion, and symptoms of HIV infection. Areas of motivation included: not needing to visit the clinic, fast results, easy access, and use in non-monogamous relationships.  Participants identified the following behavioral skills: handling a potential partner who becomes violent, coping with a positive test, and accessing HIV services.

Conclusion: Findings from this work can inform the use of the HIV home test as a behavioral tool for improving HIV testing rates and reducing HIV risk behavior.

Learning Areas:

Chronic disease management and prevention
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Provision of health care to the public
Public health or related research

Learning Objectives:
Define the Information Needs of High-risk Young adults’ related to the use of the HIV home test Discuss the motivating factors that support high-risk young adults’ use of the HIV home test Name the behavioral skills need to use the HIV home test as an HIV risk reduction tool

Keyword(s): HIV/AIDS, HIV Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the principal or co-principal of multiple federally funded grants focusing on the HIV management and prevention particularly in undeserved populations. Among my scientific interests has been the development of informatics strategies for the management of prevention of HIV.
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.

Back to: 4277.0: HIV Testing & Care