# An intervention to increase HIV Testing Uptake among Adolescents and Young Adults

> **NIH NIH R44** · MEDIA REZ, LLC · 2022 · $381,880

## Abstract

This study aims to assess the acceptability, usability and efficacy of using state-of-the-art social media and
game technology to increase HIV testing among adolescents and young adults (AYA) ages 13-24. Rates of
HIV testing among AYA are low, resulting in high proportions of AYA who are positive or unaware of their HIV
infection. Further, public health messages which can be effective in older adults do not achieve the same
results in AYA. Since many AYA are highly engaged with social media and games, these technologies may
hold the key to reaching this population. While previous behavior change games have shown positive results
by using the compelling nature of gameplay to make health education entertaining and shift attitudes towards
disease prevention, this intervention proposes to incorporate a new innovation which changes the way video
games are used to increase HIV testing and linkage to care. The intended result is a novel social media
experience which plays like a game while prompting dialogue about HIV risk assessment, testing, and linkage
to prevention in a manner that may be more acceptable to AYA compared to traditional public health
messages. We have developed an AYA-informed game in which players can create characters like themselves
and model different forms of dating and sex practices to learn the consequences in a simulated, non-health or
life-threatening environment. Once the players learn the HIV-related risks they have taken in the game, they
can identify nearby facilities for HIV testing and prevention services. We seek to test the efficacy of this game
and hypothesize that its use will result in increased HIV testing and lead to a reduction in risky behaviors
among AYA at risk for HIV. In this Phase II application, our multidisciplinary team will recruit AYA to assist in
determining the acceptability of additional game enhancements to the existing prototype through an iterative
focus group process. Once an acceptable prototype is develop, we will conduct pilot field testing of the game
intervention among a small cohort of AYA to ensure usability, acceptability and to conduct quality assurance
testing. Finally, we will conduct a randomized controlled trial to determine the efficacy of the intervention on
HIV testing uptake. We will enroll 300 sexually active HIV negative AYA and randomize them to receive either
the life-simulation game intervention or provision of an app which contains HIV educational materials on HIV
and pre-exposure prophylaxis. We will compare self-reported HIV testing between the two study groups at 6
months and hypothesize that a higher proportion of AYA in the intervention versus control group will have
obtained HIV testing. Successful completion of these aims will demonstrate how this product may advance the
effective implementation of an evidence-based behavioral intervention for increased HIV testing and linkage to
preventive care among youth. Successful development of this core technology could also...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10377481
- **Project number:** 5R44HD088332-04
- **Recipient organization:** MEDIA REZ, LLC
- **Principal Investigator:** Amanda Derryck Castel
- **Activity code:** R44 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $381,880
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2016-09-01 → 2025-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10377481

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10377481, An intervention to increase HIV Testing Uptake among Adolescents and Young Adults (5R44HD088332-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10377481. Licensed CC0.

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