Abstract
A youth-driven, social media-based campaign aimed at improving knowledge about and increasing testing for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)/HIV among youth 13–17 years old was assessed by: tracking website/social media use throughout the campaign; online survey of knowledge of and attitudes towards STI testing 9 months after campaign launch; and comparing rates of STI testing at affiliated family planning clinics during the 1 year period immediately prior versus 1 year immediately after campaign launch. Over 1,500 youth were reached via social media. Survey results showed 46 % of youth had never been tested, but 70 % intended to test in the next 6 months. While the total number of GC/CT tests conducted and positive results were not significantly different pre- and post-campaign, there was a large increase in the proportion of visits at which Syphilis (5.4 vs. 18.8 %; p < 0.01) and HIV (5.4 vs. 19.0 %; p < 0.01) testing was conducted post-campaign launch. Future campaigns should incorporate lessons learned about engaging younger adolescents, social media strategies, and specific barriers to testing in this age group.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV amoung youth. In: Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, editor. National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention. Atlanta; 2011. p. 2. http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/youth/pdf/youth.pdf.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Sexually transmitted disease surveillance, 2009. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; 2010.
AIDS Activities Coordinating Office. Surveillance Report: HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Department of Public Health; 2012.
Philadelphia Department of Public Health. Philadelphia youth in crisis: adolescents and sexually transmitted infections. Philadelphia: Philadelphia Department of Public Health; 2011.
Balaji AB, Eaton DK, Voetsch AC, Wiegand RE, Miller KS, Doshi SR. Association between HIV-related risk behaviors and HIV testing among high school students in the United States, 2009. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2012;166(4):331–6 [Comparative Study; Multicenter Study].
Madden M, Lenhart A, Duggan M, Cortesi S, Gasser U. Teens and Technology: Pew Research Center; The Berkman Center for Internet and Society at Harvard University. 2013. http://www.pewinternet.org/2013/03/13/teens-and-technology-2013/.
Guse K, Levine D, Martins S, Lira A, Gaarde J, Westmorland W, et al. Interventions using new digital media to improve adolescent sexual health: a systematic review. J Adolesc Health. 2012;51(6):535–43.
Friedman AL, Brookmeyer KA, Kachur RE, Ford J, Hogben M, Habel MA, et al. An assessment of the GYT: get yourself tested campaign: an integrated approach to sexually transmitted disease prevention communication. Sex Transm Dis. 2014;41(3):151–7.
Fishbein M, Yzer MC. Using theory to design effective health behavior interventions. Commun Theor. 2003;13(2):164–83.
Harris PA, Taylor R, Thielke R, Payne J, Gonzalez N, Conde JG. Research electronic data capture (REDCap)–a metadata-driven methodology and workflow process for providing translational research informatics support. J Biomed Inform. 2009;42(2):377–81 [Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural].
Acknowledgments
The authors would like to acknowledge the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia’s Adolescent Initiative, PolicyLab, Public Relations and Marketing Department, and the Office of Government Affairs, Community Relations and Advocacy staff for their support of this study. Specifically, we would like to thank Peter Grollman, Sarah Gibbons, and Joel Fein. We would also like to dedicate this manuscript to Christine Ambrose who was key to the success of this campaign and so many other programs that have and continue to reach marginalized youth. This work was also supported by NIH K23MH102128 (Dowshen) and the University of Pennsylvania CFAR developmental award (Dowshen), an NIH-funded program (P30AI045008).
Disclosure
None.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Dowshen, N., Lee, S., Matty Lehman, B. et al. IknowUshould2: Feasibility of a Youth-Driven Social Media Campaign to Promote STI and HIV Testing Among Adolescents in Philadelphia. AIDS Behav 19 (Suppl 2), 106–111 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0991-9
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0991-9