Sexual and Gender Minority Adolescents’ Preferences for HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Social Marketing Campaigns: Qualitative Preimplementation Study (Preprint)

• DOI: 10.2196/preprints.60398
• Publication Date: 2024-05-21T17:24:49Z
• Authors: Kathryn Macapagal; Juan Pablo Zapata; Junye Ma; Jacob D Gordon; Christopher Owens; Silvia Valadez-Tapia; Peter Cummings; Nathan Walter; Jim Pickett
• Keywords: Preprint

<sec> <title>BACKGROUND</title> Sexual and gender minority (SGM) adolescents in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV. Although pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective biomedical HIV prevention method, PrEP awareness uptake among SGM low. There no teen-centered social marketing campaigns U.S., which have potential to increase interest PrEP. To address this gap, qualitative study examined adolescents’ needs wants regarding campaigns. </sec> <title>OBJECTIVE</title> This intends ascertain sexual preferences for content, design, implementation of educational <title>METHODS</title> Chicago-area (N = 56; Mage=18.2 years; 64.4% racial/ethnic minority) participated online asynchronous focus groups from February May 2021. Questions elicited their delivery <title>RESULTS</title> Adolescents expressed need campaign messaging that provides simple, accurate, easily accessible information (e.g., what PrEP, whom indicated, where how access PrEP). They described should issues related developmental stage identities talk doctor, whether was all or just those most vulnerable HIV), clearly offer specific resources, testimonials other adolescents. desired colorful inclusive assets felt authentic featured young people themselves, suggested TikTok) offline spaces libraries, malls) delivery. <title>CONCLUSIONS</title> These findings lay groundwork designing Chicago beyond. Designing guided voices can ensure materials acceptable salient barriers facilitators ability healthcare services.