title: HealthMpowerment.org: Building Community Through a Mobile-Optimized, Online Health Promotion Intervention.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Both young Black men who have sex with men as well as young Black transgender women (YBMSM/TW) continue to experience a significant increase in HIV incidence. HealthMpowerment.org (HMP) is a mobile phone-optimized, online intervention for both YBMSM/TW to build community and facilitate supportive relationships.
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary outcomes, a 1-month pilot trial of HMP among 15 YBMSM/TW was conducted.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Retention was 100%. Mean age was 26 years, 60% were HIV-infected, 87% earned <$21,000, and 67% were uninsured. Despite the small sample size and limited intervention length, statistically significant improvements were seen in social support (p = .012), social isolation (p = .050), and depressive symptoms (p = .045).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The HMP pilot trial demonstrated feasibility and acceptability. Given the burden of the epidemic among YBMSM/TW, there is an imperative to develop, test, and scale up culturally appropriate interventions to both prevent HIV acquisition and limit onward transmission.
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA lisa_hightow@med.unc.edu.
authors.forename: Lisa B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Hightow-Weidman
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Kathryn E
authors.initials: KE
authors.lastname: Muessig
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Emily C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.affiliation: Duke University, Durham, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Sara
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: LeGrand
authors.affiliation: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, NC, USA.
authors.forename: Nina
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Baltierra
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Alvin Justin
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Rucker
authors.affiliation: Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000523:psychology; D040421:Cell Phone; D003863:Depression / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet; D008297:Male; D009657:North Carolina / Q000453:epidemiology; D010865:Pilot Projects; D012934:Social Isolation / Q000523:psychology; D012944:Social Support; D063106:Transgender Persons / Q000523:psychology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: African American; men-who-have-sex-with-men (MSM); mobile and wireless interventions; new media and social media interventions; tailored or targeted interventions