Evaluating the Effectiveness of a Mobile Health Intervention on Enhancing HIV Knowledge in Sexual and Gender Minority Men.

BACKGROUND

In the United States, young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and young transgender women (YTGW) are disproportionately affected by HIV infection. Adequate HIV knowledge is critical for protecting adolescents and young adults at risk for HIV. This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of the mLab App intervention in enhancing HIV knowledge among YMSM and YTGW.

METHODS

This study was a secondary analysis of data collected from a randomized controlled trial (RCT) evaluating the effect of the mLab App on HIV knowledge. We calculated interactions between groups (mLab App intervention, standard of care, at-home testing) over time (6 and 12 months) following the baseline observation, indicating a difference in the outcome scores from baseline to each time across groups.

RESULTS

Although the mLab App group initially had lower HIV knowledge than those in other groups, access to the App demonstrated a progressive impact on HIV knowledge over time. Despite the absence of a statistically significant effect at the 6-month follow-up, the long-term evaluation suggests improvements in HIV knowledge during the 12-month intervention follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study suggests the potential of the mLab App as a valuable tool for long-term HIV education and awareness for YMSM and YTGW. Further research is needed to understand the factors influencing the short-term effect on HIV knowledge. The mLab App may be a useful intervention for improving HIV knowledge.