HIV Prevention Information for Teens Online

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The purpose of this SBIR Phase I project entitled Sexual Health Information for Teens Online (SHIFT-Online) is to develop and distribute research-based products via the web to increase adolescents' sexual health knowledge and increase refusal and negotiation skills by providing accurate research-based information in engaging online activity formats. Specifically, the project will develop 1)An engaging web site designed for teens, and developed using Web 2.0 concepts, that presents sexual health information and skill building resources as a series of engaging new media activities developed using research-based activities drawn from effective youth pregnancy/STI/HIV/AIDS prevention programs; 2) A Spanish language version of the web site and activities that is culturally tailored for adolescents whose primary language is Spanish; and 3) The SHIFT-Online Activity Bank for practitioners. The Activity Bank will provide practitioners with the ability to download or access the activities and incorporate them into their existing or new teen sexual risk reduction programs. The project will be heavily informed by members of the target audience using methods such as focus groups, interviews and in-person and long distance usability testing. This project will bring research-based learning and skill-building activities with a focus on sexual health education and risk reduction directly to teens, in both English and Spanish, in an online format they will find engaging. The end result of providing these accurate research-based online activities is an increase in adolescent sexual health knowledge and sexual refusal and negotiation skills, which in turn may decrease sexual risk taking, unintended pregnancy, and STIs. Additionally, the project will develop an Activity Bank for sexual health risk reduction practitioners that will allow them to supplement and tailor their interventions with interactive activities for a minimal investment of resources. This may promote active youth engagement in sexual health risk reduction programs leading to more effective sexual health risk reduction outcomes.