Developing and Examining Evidenced-Based HIV Testing Messages

The Health Belief Model will be utilized as the primary theoretical framework in guiding the development of a tailored HIV testing message for young African American women in this intervention. Two conditions will be developed and compared as outlined below. Condition 1 participants will be exposed to an HIV testing message inclusive of culturally tailored information that addresses both culturally specific barriers and facilitators of HIV testing (as identified in Study 1). The message will be brief (will take less than 3 minutes to present/read).

Condition 2 (generic message) participants will be exposed to a simple HIV educational message only, consisting of HIV statistics for women in the United States, information on how HIV is transmitted, where to get tested, and the benefits of HIV testing. The statistics on HIV and where to get tested will be taken directly from the CDC's website. The message will be brief (will take less than 3 minutes to present/read).