Evidence map›Paper›PMID 27227136›Full record

ArticleJMIR public health and surveillance

Building a Mobile HIV Prevention App for Men Who Have Sex With Men: An Iterative and Community-Driven Process.

Tamar Goldenberg, Sarah J McDougal, Patrick S Sullivan, Joanne D Stekler, Rob Stephenson

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in JMIR public health and surveillance. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 36 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
36citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
6.7field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

36 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 48 citations in OpenAlex.

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  6. User Input in the Development of Digital Sexual Health Tools: A Scoping Review and Guidance for Tool Developers.Health expectations : an international journal of public participation in health care and health policy · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Tamar GoldenbergSchool of Nursing Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences and the Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI United States.ORCID 0000-0003-3998-2913
Sarah J McDougalDepartment of Medicine Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases University of Washington Seattle, WA United States.ORCID 0000-0001-7690-7002
Patrick S SullivanRollins School of Public Health Department of Epidemiology Emory University Atlanta, GA United States.ORCID 0000-0002-7728-0587
Joanne D SteklerDepartment of Medicine Division of Allergy and Infectious Diseases University of Washington Seattle, WA United States.ORCID 0000-0001-8064-3011
Rob StephensonSchool of Nursing Department of Health Behavior and Biological Sciences and the Center for Sexuality and Health Disparities University of Michigan Ann Arbor, MI United States.ORCID 0000-0001-6034-2019
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services · USUniversity of Washington · USEmory University · US

Funding

Virology and Molecular Biomarkers CoreP30AI050409 · NIAID · EMORY UNIVERSITY · PI Carlos del Rio · 2002 to 2026
$74.0M
NIAID NIH HHS P30 AI050409
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) account for a disproportionate burden of new HIV infections in the United States. Mobile technology presents an opportunity for innovative interventions for HIV prevention. Some HIV prevention apps currently exist; however, it is challenging to encourage users to download these apps and use them regularly. An iterative research process that centers on the community's needs and preferences may increase the uptake, adherence, and ultimate effectiveness of mobile apps for HIV prevention.

objectiveThe aim of this paper is to provide a case study to illustrate how an iterative community approach to a mobile HIV prevention app can lead to changes in app content to appropriately address the needs and the desires of the target community.

methodsIn this three-phase study, we conducted focus group discussions (FGDs) with MSM and HIV testing counselors in Atlanta, Seattle, and US rural regions to learn preferences for building a mobile HIV prevention app. We used data from these groups to build a beta version of the app and theater tested it in additional FGDs. A thematic data analysis examined how this approach addressed preferences and concerns expressed by the participants.

resultsThere was an increased willingness to use the app during theater testing than during the first phase of FGDs. Many concerns that were identified in phase one (eg, disagreements about reminders for HIV testing, concerns about app privacy) were considered in building the beta version. Participants perceived these features as strengths during theater testing. However, some disagreements were still present, especially regarding the tone and language of the app.

conclusionsThese findings highlight the benefits of using an interactive and community-driven process to collect data on app preferences when building a mobile HIV prevention app. Through this process, we learned how to be inclusive of the larger MSM population without marginalizing some app users. Though some issues in phase one were able to be addressed, disagreements still occurred in theater testing. If the app is going to address a large and diverse risk group, we cannot include niche functionality that may offend some of the target population.

Indexed as

AIDScommunityHIVmobile appMSMprevention

Identifiers

PMID27227136
PMCPMC4869244
OpenAlexW2197677652

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.