The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

Abstract #44635

Sarah Lord, PhD¹, Tara Cousineau, PhD², Jessica Tuttman, BA¹, and Christina Thum, MS¹. (1) Inflexxion, Inc, 320 Needham Street Suite 100, Newton, MA 02464, 617-332-6028, slord@inflexxion.com, (2) Inflexxion Inc, 320 Needham Street Suite 100, Newton, MA 02464

There is a serious need for easily accessible, broad-reaching and effective STD/HIV prevention education for college students. Research has demonstrated that college students are often resistant to face-to-face sexual risk reduction programs and are reluctant to seek services to find out about STDs. Research has also shown that the most effective programs for behavior change tailor information and feedback to an individual’s experience. This empirically-based interactive Web-based secondary prevention program (MyStudentbody.com) includes: [1] a personal risk assessment with tailored motivational feedback; [2] a searchable STD/HIV basic education area; [3] skill-building peer story scenarios; [4] Frequently Asked Questions area answered by a medical expert; [5] an archive of opinion pieces submitted by college students; [6] current news about college health issues; [7] information about alcohol, drugs and sexual risk behaviors, including dating violence; [8] information on how to deal with a diagnosis; and [9] regional and national resources and links. Information is presented via mixed media, including text, audio, and streaming video. Activities are provided to promote safer sexual behaviors among college students. Students may choose to personalize the website with information relevant to their risk profile, or to access information in a general manner. Preliminary results will be presented of a randomized, controlled field trial that assesses the efficacy of the program for affecting knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors of 262 college students. This project is supported by funding from the National Institute of Mental Health.

Learning Objectives:

(
• List 4 key features of effective STD/HIV prevention education for college students (
• Identify the key elements of motivational feedback for preventing sexual risk behaviors (
• Describe 5 advantages of using an interactive multimedia web-based tool for prevention education with young adults (
• Define interactive components in multimedia that enhance student motivation, attention, and willingness to reduce personal risk behaviors

Keywords: STD Prevention, College Students

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I have a significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.
Relationship: Employment