# Using Open Contest and Neuro-Influence Experiment to Develop and Evaluate PrEP Promotion Messages for High Risk Men

> **NIH NIH R34** · JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY · 2020 · $1

## Abstract

Project Summary
With the release of Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) clinical guidelines by the CDC, there has been increased
effort to identify effective strategies for increasing awareness, acceptability, and uptake of PrEP as a HIV
primary prevention tool, especially among men who have sex with men (MSM). Conventional approach to
developing HIV campaigns, such as social marketing, is fundamentally a “top-down” approach by designing
programs created by select individuals from a key population. In addition, most pre-testing of campaign
messages is done using self-report methods, such as focus groups or likeability measures. Although these
methods are useful, research has found that self-report effectiveness measures cannot reliably predict the
effectiveness of campaign materials. Evidence from neuroscience has demonstrated that neural responses
hold the potential to be significantly more reliable than self-report measures in assessing message
effectiveness that is highly predictive of future behavior change. This proposal will examine the feasibility,
acceptability, and utility of open contest approach and neuroimaging technique to develop and evaluate PrEP
promotion messages for high-risk MSM in Baltimore, MD. Our multi-disciplinary research team brings together
HIV prevention, open contest, and neuroimaging experiment experience; a long term history of working with
MSM in Baltimore; and a rich local infrastructure for HIV research. The specific aims are: 1) Explore the
feasibility and acceptability of open contest approach to soliciting PrEP promotion messages, and 2) Evaluate
the effectiveness of PrEP promotion messages developed via open contest by assessing neural bases of
persuasion. Findings of this proposed study will transform the design, evaluation, and implementation of HIV
campaigns, potentially bringing new ideas for local health departments and community-based organizations in
developing more impactful PrEP campaigns.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878141
- **Project number:** 5R34MH116725-03
- **Recipient organization:** JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Cui Yang
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $1
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-05-01 → 2022-02-23

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878141

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878141, Using Open Contest and Neuro-Influence Experiment to Develop and Evaluate PrEP Promotion Messages for High Risk Men (5R34MH116725-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878141. Licensed CC0.

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