Intervention IP-092: Keep It Up (KIU)! eHealth HIV Risk Reduction Intervention
Summary
The intervention Keep It Up (KIU)! was designed to reduce condomless anal sex acts and sexually transmitted infections among young men who have sex with men. The intervention is an interactive online multimedia HIV prevention project that was conducted in 5 major US cities. The multimedia addresses HIV knowledge, importance of HIV testing, and skills for negotiating condom use within relationships. The intervention produced significant decreases in condomless anal sex acts with casual male partners and sexually transmitted infections 12 months post-intervention.
Overview
Keep It Up (KIU)! is an online sexual health program designed by and for diverse, young gay, bisexual, and queer men to maintain negative HIV/STI status. KIU! has been updated over time and is intended to be scalable for delivery by community organizations or directly to consumers.
Research-Tested — Interventions with strong methodological rigor that have demonstrated short-term or long-term positive effects on one or more targeted health outcomes to improve minority health and/or health disparities through quantitative measures; Studies have a control or comparison group and are published in a peer-review journal; No pilot, demonstration or feasibility studies.
Intervention Details
Both Community and Academic/Clinical Researchers
Citations:
-
Mustanski B, Parsons JT, Sullivan PS, Madkins K, Rosenberg E, Swann G. Biomedical and Behavioral Outcomes of Keep It Up!: An eHealth HIV Prevention Program RCT. American journal of preventive medicine. 2018 Aug;55(2):151-158. Epub 2018 Jun 28. PubMed PubMed Central DOI
Relevance: Post-Intervention Outcomes, Main Intervention -
Greene GJ, Madkins K, Andrews K, Dispenza J, Mustanski B. Implementation and Evaluation of the Keep It Up! Online HIV Prevention Intervention in a Community-Based Setting. AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education. 2016 Jun;28(3):231-45. PubMed DOI
Relevance: Evaluations and Assessments -
Mustanski B, Saber R, Jones JP, Macapagal K, Benbow N, Li DH, Brown CH, Janulis P, Smith JD, Marsh E, Schackman BR, Linas BP, Madkins K, Swann G, Dean A, Bettin E, Savinkina A. Keep It Up! 3.0: Study protocol for a type III hybrid implementation-effectiveness cluster-randomized trial. Contemporary clinical trials. 2023 Apr;127:107134. Epub 2023 Feb 24. PubMed PubMed Central DOI
Relevance: Evaluations and Assessments
No
Contact Information
Brian Mustanski
Northwestern University
https://kiu.northwestern.edu/
brian@northwestern.edu
312-503-5421
Results
Improve minority health or the health of other populations with health disparities (e.g. rural populations, populations with low SES, and sexual and gender minorities)
Incident gonorrhea or chlamydia and condomless anal sex (CAS) acts
HIV knowledge, HIV motivation and behavioral skills, condom errors, health protective communication, PrEP intentions and use
KIU! resulted in significantly lower STI incidence and reduction in CAS with a casual male partner. Among those with specimens at month 12, STI rates increased for the control and decreased for the KIU! arms. The primary endpoint of any STI at month 12 was 40% (95% CI=5%, 63%, p=0.01) lower in the KIU! arm. Secondary models that considered effect modification by strata did not find statistically significant differences by age, enrollment location, race/ethnicity, or sexual orientation, although, point estimates suggested higher efficacy in YMSM who were Black, aged 18–24 years, or lived in the South. Additionally, at baseline, 69% of control and 68% of KIU! participants reported any CAS with a casual male partner in the prior 3 months, with declines seen over time in both groups. At month 12, 44% of control and 37% of KIU! participants reported CAS prevalence ratio=0.83, 95% CI=0.70, 0.99, p=0.04; The estimated average effect over follow-up was 11% (prevalence ratio=0.89, p=0.07).
The statistical methods used were unconditional generalized estimated equation, unconditional logistic regression model for primary behavioral outcome, logistic regression of STI at 12 months, and negative binomial regression evaluated number of casual CAS acts and of CAS partners.
Evaluations and Assessments
Yes
Economic Evaluation: We used a mixed methods micro-costing approach to assess KIU! expenses. Structured interviews and expense reports identified three categories of expenditure: start-up, variable, and time dependent. We estimated wages and material costs from staff reports and Bureau of Labor Statistics data. After quantifying and valuing all resources, we multiplied costs and unit utilization to derive cumulative cost of resource consumption. Sensitivity and post hoc analyses addressed bias and cost predictors.
Needs Assessment: The results of the needs assessment found in our article, “Internet use and sexual health of young men who have sex with men: a mixed-methods study” - https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10508-009-9596-1, suggested that the Internet fills an important and unmet need for sexual health education for young men who have sex with men (YMSM).
Demographic and Implementation Description
Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, HIV/AIDS
African American or Black, Hispanic or Latino, White, Unspecified
Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations, Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) Groups
Young Adults (18 - 39 years)
Socio-demographics / Population Characteristics
Suburban, Urban / Inner City
None
Male
Bisexual, Gay
All U.S. States
Unspecified
Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Framework
Levels of Influence | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Individual | Interpersonal | Community | Societal | ||
Determinant Types | Biological | ||||
Behavioral | ✔ | ✔ | |||
Physical / Built Environment | |||||
Sociocultural Environment | |||||
Health Care System | ✔ |
Community Involvement
The community's role in different areas of the Intervention (Choices are "No Role", "Participation", and "Leadership"):
Leadership
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Participation
Characteristics and Implementation
Behavior Change
Primary Prevention
Online
Online/e-Health
Self-administered
Conceptual Framework
Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills Model of Change
IM-ADAPT (Intervention Mapping – Adapt) for KIU! 3.0
Implementation
Individual Randomized Controlled Trial/Comparative (requires random assignment, a control/comparison group, and pre and post intervention outcome assessments), Pilot, feasibility, or demonstration study design
901
901
2013
2017
Intervention Exposures
4-6 months
5 total sessions including 2 booster sessions
5-6 Sessions
1-2 Hours
Individual
Grade 8-9
Impact, Lessons, Components
Yes
Some CBOs were able to connect more with participants about various services that they provided because of our intervention. We integrated service forms throughout the intervention in KIU! 3.0 and participants were made aware of services that the CBOs can offer them related to the content that was just provided to the participants. Depending on what the CBOs select, some service forms were informational whereas others triggered a notification to the CBO that the participant was interested in a specific service that they offered.
Some of the many aspects that are essential to the success of KIU! include: Establishing a team to implement KIU! to integrate with the agency’s HIV prevention program workflow/testing infrastructure and develop a plan for participant retention activities.
Some CBOs were able to connect more with participants about various services that they provided because of our intervention. We integrated service forms throughout the intervention in KIU! 3.0 and participants were made aware of services that the CBOs can offer them related to the content that was just provided to the participants. Depending on what the CBOs select, some service forms were informational whereas others triggered a notification to the CBO that the participant was interested in a specific service that they offered.
Lessons Learned
Our findings from implementation in CBO settings illustrated the importance of compelling messaging highlighting benefits to participating in KIU!, CBO staff monitoring participant completion of KIU!, and sending routine reminders as needed to participants.
Insights Gained During Implementation
Insight Category | Insight Description |
---|---|
Cost of Implementing or Sustaining | Paying participants sufficiently to incentivize complete the intervention is highly preferred and may be cost-saving compared to other efforts that require more staff time. Additionally, CBOs need to be paid sufficiently to properly staff the intervention. |
Logistics | The time between intervention modules was reduced. |
Administrative Resources | CBOs can benefit from having structured To-Do lists for participant retention. |
Training / Technical Assistance | Implementation would benefit from continued and personalized technical assistance for CBOs and availability of on-going training for new staff. |
Staffing | It is recommended to hire people from the community being served. |
Recruitment | It is recommended not to be too restrictive with eligibility criteria and aim to allow as many people as possible into the program if it addresses client’s needs. |
Intervention Components
Yes
No
Products, Materials, and Funding
Used for Implementation | Needed for Sustainability | |
---|---|---|
Expertise | ||
Health Education / Health Literacy |
Yes | Yes |
Clinical Care |
Yes | Yes |
Technology |
Yes | Yes |
Partnerships | ||
Partnerships are not required, but users can partner with CBOs for implementation. |
Yes | No |
Funding Sources | ||
Public funding (e.g., federal, state or local government) |
Yes | No |
Product/Material/Tools
Tailored For Language | Language(s) if other than English | Material | |
---|---|---|---|
Outreach/Recruitment Tools | |||
Implementation Guide |
No |
https://kiu.northwestern.edu/deliver/ | |
Participant Educational Tools | |||
Implementation Guide |
No |
https://kiu.northwestern.edu/deliver/ | |
Measurement Tools | |||
Implementation Guide |
No |
https://kiu.northwestern.edu/deliver/ |
Implementation Materials and Products
Material | |
---|---|
Implementation/Delivery Materials | |
Intervention implementation guidelines |
https://kiu.northwestern.edu/deliver/ |
Implementation/Output Materials | |
Websites (include URL/link) |
https://kiu.northwestern.edu/deliver/ |