Leveraging Chatbot to Improve PrEP in the Southern United States

Participants in the intervention group will have access to a theory-informed (Self-Determination Theory) chatbot and receive an automated personalized question message (root-node message) from the chatbot. The root-node messages are questions written into the chatbot algorithms to initiate interactive communication with participants. In each round of the interactive communication, the chatbot will provide automated personalized PrEP-related information, autonomous motivation, and psychological needs based on Self-Determination Theory constructs.

Participants in the control group will received general education messages from a research assistant including healthy diet, exercise, and COVID-19 prevention. The frequency of contact will be pre-specified by participants in interviews prior to the RCT.