Engineering an Online STI Prevention Program
1 other identifier
interventional
3,997
1 country
4
Brief Summary
The overall objective of the proposed research is to reduce the incidence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) among college students. The investigators propose to accomplish this by using the innovative, engineering-inspired multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) to develop a highly effective, appealing, economical, and readily scalable internet-delivered behavioral intervention targeting the intersection of alcohol use and sexual risk behavior. The rate of STIs on college campuses is alarming: one in four college students is diagnosed with an STI at least once during their college experience. Sexual activity when drinking alcohol is highly prevalent among college students. Alcohol use is known to contribute to the sexual risk behaviors that are most responsible for the transmission of STIs, namely unprotected sex, contact with numerous partners, and "hook-ups" (casual sexual encounters). Few interventions have been developed that explicitly target the intersection of alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors, and none have been optimized. In order to reduce the incidence of STI transmission among this and other high-risk groups, a new approach is needed. MOST is a comprehensive methodological framework that brings the power of engineering principles to bear on optimization of behavioral interventions. MOST enables researchers to experimentally test the individual components in an intervention to determine their effectiveness, indicating which components need to be revised and re-tested. Given the high rates of alcohol use and sex among college students, the college setting provides an ideal opportunity for intervening on alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors. The proposed study will include a diverse population of college students on 4 campuses which will increase the generalizability of the findings. The specific aims are to (1) develop and pilot test an initial set of online intervention components targeting the link between alcohol use and sexual risk behaviors, (2) use the MOST approach to build an optimized preventive intervention, and (3) evaluate the effectiveness of the newly optimized preventive intervention using a fully powered randomized controlled trial (RCT). This work will result in a new, more potent behavioral intervention that will reduce the incidence of STIs among college students in the US, and will lay the groundwork for a new generation of highly effective STI prevention interventions aimed at other subpopulations at risk.
Trial Health
Trial Health Score
Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach
participants targeted
Target at P75+ for not_applicable
Started Aug 2016
Shorter than P25 for not_applicable
4 active sites
Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.
Trial Relationships
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Study Timeline
Key milestones and dates
Study Start
First participant enrolled
August 1, 2016
CompletedFirst Submitted
Initial submission to the registry
August 22, 2016
CompletedFirst Posted
Study publicly available on registry
September 13, 2016
CompletedPrimary Completion
Last participant's last visit for primary outcome
November 1, 2016
CompletedStudy Completion
Last participant's last visit for all outcomes
June 1, 2017
CompletedJanuary 9, 2019
January 1, 2019
3 months
August 22, 2016
January 8, 2019
Conditions
Keywords
Outcome Measures
Primary Outcomes (5)
Descriptive norms about the intersection of alcohol and sex collected via an online questionnaire.
This scale consists of 6 items and will be created as a weighted scale score. Analyses will report the mean and standard deviation and expected mean values from a regression analysis. The scale will reflect the average perceived prevalence of the alcohol and sex behaviors.
This measure will be assessed immediately following the 3-week intervention
Injunctive norms about the intersection of alcohol and sex collected via an online questionnaire.
This scale consists of 6 items and will be created as a weighted scale score. Analyses will report the mean and standard deviation and expected mean values from a regression analysis. The scale will reflect the average perceived approval of the alcohol and sex behaviors, ranging from strongly disapprove to strongly approve.
This measure will be assessed immediately following the 3-week intervention
Expectancies about the intersection of alcohol use and sex collected via an online questionnaire.
This scale consists of 10 items and will be created as a weighted scale score. Analyses will report the mean and standard deviation and expected mean values from a regression analysis. The scale will reflect the average number of drinks expected to experience the 10 different outcomes.
This measure will be assessed immediately following the 3-week intervention
Perceived benefits about using protective behavioral strategies collected via an online questionnaire.
This scale consists of 11 items and will be created as a weighted scale score. Analyses will report the mean and standard deviation and expected mean values from a regression analysis. The scale will reflect the average likelihood of contracting an STI using the listed behaviors.
This measure will be assessed immediately following the 3-week intervention
Self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies collected via an online questionnaire.
This scale consists of 9 items and will be created as a weighted scale score. Analyses will report the mean and standard deviation and expected mean values from a regression analysis. The scale will reflect the average level of confidence is using protective behavioral strategies to reduce the risk of contracting and STI, ranging from not at all confident to extremely confident.
This measure will be assessed immediately following the 3-week intervention
Secondary Outcomes (3)
Binge drinking behavior collected via an online questionnaire
This measure will be assessed 1 month following the completion of the intervention
Unprotected sex behavior at most recent sex collected via an online questionnaire
This measure will be assessed 1 month following the completion of the intervention
Penetrative sex at most recent hookup collected via an online questionnaire
This measure will be assessed 1 month following the completion of the intervention
Study Arms (32)
Knowledge alone
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Self-efficacy alone
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the self-efficacy module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Perceived benefits alone
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the perceived benefits module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Benefits and self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the perceived benefits and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Injunctive norms alone
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the injunctive norms module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Injunctive norms and self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the injunctive norms and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Injunctive norms and perceived benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the injunctive norms and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Injunctive norms, perceived benefits,self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the injunctive norms, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive norms alone
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive norms and self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive norms and perceived benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive norms,perceived benefits,self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive norms and injunctive norms
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms and injunctive norms modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive norms, injunctive norms,self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive and injunctive norms, benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Descriptive and injunctive norms, benefits,efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the descriptive norms, injunctive norms, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies alone
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies module for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies and self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies and perceived benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, perceived benefits, self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies and injunctive norms
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies and injunctive norms modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, injunctive norms, and self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, injunctive norms, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, injunctive norms, and benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, injunctive norms, and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, injunctive norms, benefits, efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, injunctive norms, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies and descriptive norms
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies and descriptive norms modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, descriptive norms, and self-efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, descriptive norms, and benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies,descriptive norms, benefits, efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, descriptive and injunctive norms
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, and injunctive norms modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, descr& injun norms, efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies, desc & injun norms, benefits
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, and perceived benefits modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Expectancies,desc & injun norms,benefits,efficacy
EXPERIMENTALParticipants will have access to the knowledge module plus the expectancies, descriptive norms, injunctive norms, perceived benefits, and self-efficacy modules for a period up to 3 weeks.
Interventions
Increase knowledge related STIs, STI risk, alcohol impairment, condom use skills, alcohol use behavior tracking skills, testing \& treatment services.
Increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking.
Correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors and correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol; and Increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter and correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter and correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; and correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; and increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol.
Decrease the expectation that alcohol is needed to have good sexual encounter; correct misperceptions of prevalence of alcohol-induced sexual risk behaviors, alcohol use/misuse, and sexual risk behaviors; correct misperceptions regarding approval of alcohol misuse \& sexual risk taking; increase perceived benefits to use protective behavioral strategies to reduce the negative consequences of engaging in sexual behaviors under the influence of alcohol; and increase self-efficacy to use protective behavioral strategies (e.g., condom negotiation skills) to reduce unprotected sex.
Eligibility Criteria
You may qualify if:
- Currently enrolled at an American college or University.
- A first year student or first-year transfer student.
- years of age or older.
- Have not gone through previous versions of itMatters before
You may not qualify if:
- Not a first year student or transfer student
- Younger than 18 years of age
- Have gone through previous versions of itMatters
Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.
Sponsors & Collaborators
- Penn State Universitylead
- University of North Carolina, Greensborocollaborator
Study Sites (4)
Fresno State University
Fresno, California, 93740, United States
Southern Illinois University
Carbondale, Illinois, 62901, United States
North Carolina A&T State University
Greensboro, North Carolina, 27411, United States
North Dakota State University
Fargo, North Dakota, 58108-6050, United States
MeSH Terms
Conditions
Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)
Study Officials
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
Linda M Collins, PhD
Penn State University
Study Design
- Study Type
- interventional
- Phase
- not applicable
- Allocation
- RANDOMIZED
- Masking
- NONE
- Purpose
- PREVENTION
- Intervention Model
- FACTORIAL
- Sponsor Type
- OTHER
- Responsible Party
- PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
- PI Title
- Director of The Methodology Center and Distinguished Professor
Study Record Dates
First Submitted
August 22, 2016
First Posted
September 13, 2016
Study Start
August 1, 2016
Primary Completion
November 1, 2016
Study Completion
June 1, 2017
Last Updated
January 9, 2019
Record last verified: 2019-01
Data Sharing
- IPD Sharing
- Will not share