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Tu Amigo Pepe: Evaluation of a Multi-media Marketing Campaign that Targets Young Latino Immigrant MSM with HIV Testing Messages

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Abstract

Latino immigrant men who have sex with men (MSM) are at risk for HIV and delayed diagnosis in the United States. This paper describes the evaluation of a pilot of the Tu Amigo Pepe, a multimedia HIV testing campaign aimed at Latino MSM in Seattle, WA particularly targeting immigrants who may not identify as gay, ages 18–30 years old. The 16-week campaign included Spanish-language radio public service announcements (PSAs), a Web site, social media outreach, a reminder system using mobile technology, print materials and a toll-free hotline. In developing the PSAs, the Integrated Behavioral Model was used as a framework to reframe negative attitudes, beliefs and norms towards HIV testing with positive ones as well as to promote self-efficacy towards HIV testing. The campaign had a significant and immediate impact on attitudes, beliefs, norms and self-efficacy towards HIV testing as well as on actual behavior, with HIV testing rates increasing over time.

Resumen

Los inmigrantes Latinos que son hombres que tienen sexo con hombres (HSH) están en riesgo de contraer el VIH y de tener retraso con el diagnóstico en los Estados Unidos. Este documento describe la evaluación de un piloto de Tu amigo Pepe, una campaña multimedia para las pruebas de detección del VIH en HSH latinos en Seattle, WA, especialmente dirigido a los inmigrantes jovenes, de edad 18-30 años que no se identifican como gay. La campaña duro16 semanas y incluyo anuncios de servicio público por el radio en español, un sitio en la Web, medios de difusión social, un sistema de aviso mediante tecnología móvil, materiales impresos y un número de teléfono gratuito. En el desarrollo de los anuncios de servicio público, la teoría del Modelo Behaviorístico Integrado fue utilizado como marco para reemplazar las actitudes negativas, creencias y normas hacia la pruebas del VIH con lo positivo, y tambien para promover la auto-eficacia hacia las pruebas de detección del VIH. La campaña tuvo un impacto significativo e inmediato sobre las actitudes, creencias, normas y la auto-eficacia hacia las pruebas de detección del VIH, así como en el comportamiento real, con las pruebas de detección del VIH aumentando con el tiempo.

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Acknowledgments

This research was funded by NIMH R34 MH098740 (PI Solorio, Rosa; Co-Is Montano, Daniel; Forehand, Mark; Martinez, Marcos; Holmes, King).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Services, School of Public Health, University of Washington, 4333 Brooklyn Ave NE., Box 359455, Seattle, WA, 98195, USA

    Rosa Solorio & Joel Aguirre

  2. Department of Global Health, University of Washington School of Public Health, Seattle, WA, USA

    Rosa Solorio & Joshua Stern

  3. Social and Behavioral Prevention Core, University of Washington Center for AIDS Research, Seattle, WA, USA

    Rosa Solorio

  4. Activate Brands, Denver, CO, USA

    Pamela Norton-Shelpuk

  5. University of Washington Foster School of Business, Seattle, WA, USA

    Mark Forehand

  6. Battelle Research Center, Seattle, WA, USA

    Daniel Montaño

  7. Entre Hermanos, Seattle, WA, USA

    Joel Aguirre & Marcos Martinez

Authors
  1. Rosa Solorio
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  7. Marcos Martinez
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Correspondence to Rosa Solorio.

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Solorio, R., Norton-Shelpuk, P., Forehand, M. et al. Tu Amigo Pepe: Evaluation of a Multi-media Marketing Campaign that Targets Young Latino Immigrant MSM with HIV Testing Messages. AIDS Behav 20, 1973–1988 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-015-1277-6

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