apha 2013 gonzalez_public

Are Texting and SNS Instant Messaging Appropriate Sexual

Health Education Tools for Urban Young Women of Color?

Sonia K. González, MPH, Doctoral StudentGraduate Center, City University of New York

Wednesday, November 6, 2013APHA, #287981

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Presenter DisclosuresSpecial thanks to the National Institutes of Mental Health for their support.• Research in HIV Intervention:

Skills for Underserved Communities and Families (R25 MH083602)

• Piloting a Mobile App for HIV Risk Reduction among Young Latinas & Black Females (1F31MH099924-01)

Citation: Hillebrand F, editor.  Short Message Service (SMS): The Creation of Personal Global Text Messaging. Chippenham, Wiltshire: Wiley; 2010. Madden M, Lenhart A, Duggan M, Cortesi S, Gasser U. Teens and Technology 2013. Pew Research Center's Internet & American Life Project. 2013; Available at: http://pewinternet.org/Reports/2013/Teens-and-Tech.aspx)

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Research Goal

Shared

Asking

Sexual

Reproductive

Health (SRH) / HIV

Information

Research Setting: Red Hook, Brooklyn

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Sample Characteristics

All Young WomenRed Hook, Brooklyn connectionMean Age 18 (16-22 year olds)

76% attending school100% English Speakers71% were in some sort of romantic relationship

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Mixed MethodsSurveys (n=20)

Sources of InformationHIV/AIDS Worry ScaleHIV/AIDS Knowledge

Focus Groups (n=20) Peer Health Educator (PHEs, n=10) Peers Contacted by PHEs (PCs, n=8) Non-PHE/PC Community Member (n=12)

90%

80%

70%

40%

30%

SRH Sources of Information

92.31%84.62%

76.92%69.23% 69.23%

53.85%

SRH Information in Person

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Trusted Sources of SRH by Group

“Because they know that every time they know that we used to do girls group and that we’re peer health educators and stuff, so they ask us for advice instead of going to their mothers….”

~Peer Health Educator

“..my doctor gave me a website called ashastd.org or .com, I’m not sure, but most of the time I just Google everything.”

~Peer Contacted by PHE

“I go to Google before I even go to a human person. Google is my best friend.”

~Community Member

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Trust, Confidentiality & Privacy

Frances: That’s why it’s always better to do it in person. If you do it in person you know who you’re around and you’ll know what you’re saying around certain people.

Maria: So if it does get out, you know who leaked it.

Angie: Like these are the only ones I was talking to so it had to be one of these people going and saying it. But if you’re texting somebody you don’t know who’s on the other side of that phone.

August 18,2011

In-roads for Technology for Community

Education… I had someone I went to high school with and…he was trying to get the word out “everyone get tested” he said, ‘because I actually found out that I was HIV positive’ and I thought that was so big of him.

I think it’s [Facebook] still used for good, but it’s the people that abuse it.

~CeCe, December 10, 2011

“Facebook is another world, people be hacking into your stuff and all kinds of crazy things.”

~ Peer Health Educator

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Lessons Learned from Red Hook, Brooklyn Pilot

Variance in what was considered a trusted source for SRH Information

Acknowledge that trust and privacy are important issues for young people

Reminder: HIV & SRH strategies are NOT one-size-fits all; must include target population input early in design

A Big Sis App

about Sex

Piloting a Mobile App

for HIV Risk Reduction among Young Women of

Color

National Research Service Award (1F31MH099924-01)

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Community Advisory Committee

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Formative Research Findings

"I also believe this would be a very useful app…I just have to say you found the real need and I think the app would be really great because  young women, especially

those of color, they don't have the support services they need, so this is just one thing in the big circle of things that they need,

but it 'll be really helpful for them to have - just women on a whole. I like it, and if this

is just a pilot, I hope it goes to older women, and younger women, and just

goes out there.”~Paige

It Depends

Are Texting and SNS Instant Messaging Appropriate Sexual Health Education

Tools for Urban Young Women of Color?

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AcknowledgementsDeep gratitude & appreciation to…

Vivian Cortés & Liza Fuentes, research collaborators.

Drs. Beatrice Krauss, Lynn Roberts, Denis Nash, Christina Zarcadoolas, Jessie Daniels, & Betty Wolder Levin- my mentors who provide on-going guidance.

Community Advisory Committee

The Red Hook Initiative & broader Red Hook community for supporting formative research. I am in your debt for lessons about the human spirit in the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy.

Thank you!Questions/Comments

Sonia K. González, MPHsgonzalez1@gc.cuny.edu

Twitter: @SKGsquared