title: A Randomized Control Trial for Evaluating Efficacies of Two Online Cognitive Interventions With and Without Fear-Appeal Imagery Approaches in Preventing Unprotected Anal Sex Among Chinese Men Who Have Sex with Men.
abstract: Fear appeal approach has been used in health promotion, but its effectiveness has been mixed. It has not been well applied to HIV prevention among men who have sex with men (MSM). The present study developed and evaluated the relative efficacy of three online interventions (SC: STD-related cognitive approach, SCFI: STD-related cognitive plus fear appeal imagery approach, Control: HIV-related information based approach) in reducing prevalence of unprotected anal intercourse (UAI) among 396 MSM using a randomized controlled trial design. Participants' levels of fear-related emotions immediately after watching the assigned intervention materials were also assessed. Participants were evaluated at baseline and 3 months after the intervention. Results showed that participants in the SCFI scored significantly higher in the instrument assessing fear after the watching the intervention materials. However, no statistically significant differences were found across the three groups in terms of UAI at Month 3. Some significant within-group reductions in some measures of UAI were found in three groups. Further studies are warranted to test the role of fear appeal in HIV prevention.
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China. jlau@cuhk.edu.hk.
authors.forename: Joseph T F
authors.initials: JT
authors.lastname: Lau
authors.affiliation: School of Journalism and Communication, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Annisa L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Educational Psychology, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Wai S
authors.initials: WS
authors.lastname: Tse
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Phoenix K H
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Mo
authors.affiliation: Neo Health Care, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Francois
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fong
authors.affiliation: School of Public Health and Primary Care, The Chinese University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Zixin
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.affiliation: Psychological Sciences, University of California, Merced, CA, USA.|University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Linda D
authors.initials: LD
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.affiliation: Department of Communication Studies, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong SAR, China.
authors.forename: Vivian
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Sheer
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001003:Anal Canal; D044466:Asian People / Q000523:psychology*; D003071:Cognition; D005239:Fear; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D018451:Homosexuality, Male / Q000208:ethnology / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017063:Outcome Assessment, Health Care; D015995:Prevalence; D047568:Unsafe Sex / Q000517:prevention & control* / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Condom use; Fear appeal; HIV; Men who have sex with men; Unprotected sexual intercourse