Use of Behavior Change Techniques in Online HIV Prevention Programmes for Adolescents and Young People: A Systematic Review (Preprint)

Abstract

HIV infections have caused severe public health and economic burdens to the world. Adolescents and young people continue to constitute a large proportion of newly diagnosed HIV cases. Online health interventions will be the trend to prevent the rising HIV epidemic.

HIV infections have caused severe public health and economic burdens to the world. Adolescents and young people continue to constitute a large proportion of newly diagnosed HIV cases. Online health interventions will be the trend to prevent the rising HIV epidemic.

Four databases were searched and studies from 2008 to January 2023 were screened. Eligible randomized controlled trials (RCTs) were included. Basic study characteristics, intervention strategies and study results were extracted and compared for data analysis. BCTs used were identified according to the definitions from the BCT taxonomy by Michie and Abraham in 2008. Frequencies of BCTs were counted to uncover the commonly used techniques in online HIV prevention programs.

A total of 27 RCTs are included in this review. Commonly used BCTs identified include prompt intention formation (100%, 27/27), provide information about behavior-health link (96%, 26/27), provide general encouragement (96%, 26/27), provide information on consequences (89%, 24/27), and provide instruction (85%, 23/27). BCTs with a provision nature are more observed in interventions with significant improvement in HIV knowledge, while more use of BCTs with the nature of initiating actions are observed in studies with significant increase in condom-use self-efficacy. Studies with a significant increase in condom use have used BCTs that manage and maintain behavior the most among the three outcomes.

This is the first systematic review that examined the use of BCTs in online HIV prevention interventions for adolescents and young people. Commonly used BCTs found in this review can serve as important references for constructing more effective online interventions in the future.

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