Soap Opera Video on Handheld Computers to Reduce Young Urban Women’s HIV Sex Risk

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to develop a soap opera video, A Story about Toni, Mike, and Valerie, designed to communicate HIV risk reduction themes. The study evaluated viewing the video and responding to audio computer assisted self-interview (ACASI) on a handheld computer. The sample was 76 predominately African American women, aged 18–29, in sexual relationships with men. Data were collected in urban neighborhoods in the northeastern United States. A pretest-posttest control group design with systematic assignment indicated statistically significant reduction in expectations to engage in unprotected sex in the experimental group. The handheld computer was found to be acceptable to view the near feature length video and complete ACASI. To date, no study has reported on use of video and ACASI on a handheld device to reduce HIV risk. The significance is the potential to stream health promotion videos to personal devices, such as cell phones.