................................................................................................................................. .............................................................. .............................................................. RESEARCH Preliminary communication Q A pilot programme using mobile phones for HIV prevention Ivan Juzang*, Thierry Fortune*, Sandra Black † , Erin Wright † and Sheana Bull † *Media Education Entertainment Productions, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; † Department of Community and Behavioural Health, School of Public Health, University of Colorado, USA Summary We explored the feasibilityof engaging young black men in a 12-week text messaging programme about HIV prevention. There were two non-randomized groups of 30 young men each. The participants were aged 16–20 years, self-identifying as black or African-American, sexually active, who owned a mobile phone and lived in Philadelphia. They received three text messages per week for 12 weeks. People in the intervention group received text messages about HIV prevention, while those in the control group received text messages about nutrition. The intervention participants showed trends in increased monogamy at follow-up compared to controls. Awareness of sexual health was significantly higher in the intervention group. Condom norms were significantly higher for the control group. There were no differences in the proportion of protected sex acts. The participants embraced the project, and were enrolled and retained in numbersthat suggest such an intervention is worth examining for efficacy. Introduction Using computers and the Internet to deliver prevention messages can have significant effects on behaviours that reduce HIV risk. 1–3 The popularity of the mobile phone with text messaging capability offers intriguing options for HIV prevention, particularly among young black males. In the USA, approximately 75% of adults have mobile phones and 62% use them for text messaging, email, taking pictures, recording video or looking up information. 4 Recent reports suggest that using mobile phones for health promotion may be helpful. A meta-analysis of 14 programmes using mobile phones to promote smoking cessation, physical activity, diabetes and asthma self-management, and adherence to hypertension medication shows that delivery of text messages via mobile phones has positive short-term behavioural effects. 5 Another review of 25 studies using mobile phones demonstrated positive effects in behavioural outcomes associated with smoking and with changes in biomedical outcomes such as reduced HbA 1c and lower cholesterol. 6 In these meta-analyses, only two studies focused on HIV. One study was an assessment of a smoking cessation intervention for the HIV-positive population, 7 while the other showed increases in adherence to HIV medication among persons with memory impairment. 8 Other work is emerging showing the feasibility of using mobile phones for prevention of HIV- and other sexually transmitted disease (STD)-related risk behaviours. Lim et al. reported on the use of mobile phones to improve communication between STD clinic patients and providers, to improve and facilitate contact tracing, and to offer reminders for medication adherence related to reproductive health. 9 Levine and colleagues reported on a programme to offer sexual health information via text messaging to persons who sent inquiries to SexInfo, a mobile phone service with a library of pre-programmed text message responses. 10 Vodaphone and the United Nations have published information promising mobile phone-based health promotion efforts for HIV prevention in developing countries. 11 The emerging work in sexual health promotion and HIV prevention via mobile phones is promising, but at present there is no evidence for the efficacy of this approach. We have conducted a pilot test of mobile phone text messaging for HIV prevention among young black men in Philadelphia. The study was designed to (a) test the feasibility of recruiting and retaining men in the 12-week programme and (b) assess the programme’s effects on HIV-related risk behaviours. Methods The study was approved by the appropriate ethics committee. The programme development and enrolment Accepted 14 September 2010 Correspondence: Dr Sheana Bull, Department of Community and Behavioural Health, School of Public Health, University of Colorado, Mail Stop B-119, Building 500, Aurora CO 80045-0508, USA (Fax: þ1 303 724 4476; Email: sheana.bull@ucdenver.edu) Journal of Telemedicine and Telecare 2011; 17: 150–153 DOI: 10.1258/jtt.2010.091107