A Pilot Intervention to Encourage HIV Testing and Counseling Among Minority Adolescents

Despite adolescents accounting for 20% of new HIV cases, they are less likely than adults to undergo HIV testing and counseling (HTC). Videogame interventions are emerging as an effective way to teach adolescents skill building and knowledge, with evidence that skills acquired and practiced in a virtual environment can translate to real life. This study adapted an original evidence-based videogame that focused on HIV prevention in adolescents to have a greater focus on HTC and evaluated its impact. We enrolled 26 participants, aged 15-16 years, to test the adapted game, using a pre-post study design. Fifteen (58%) were girls, 23 (88%) were black, and 3 (11%) were Hispanic. Participants played an average of 3.2 hours of the game over 3 weeks. Data were collected at baseline, immediately post-gameplay (3 weeks) and at follow-up (6 weeks). Most players (85%) enjoyed playing the game and 88% said they would recommend the game to their friends. Participants reported an increase in intentions (p = .037) and knowledge (p = .025) related to HTC. Notably, at baseline and 3-week follow-up no participants reported ever undergoing HTC but at 6-week follow-up, that figure increased to two participants reporting HTC (p=0.135). This game was an engaging intervention that increased adolescents' HTC, their intentions to get tested, and their knowledge about HTC. Although the game needs to be further evaluated in a larger cohort over a longer period of time, results from this study indicate that videogames may be effective vehicles to deliver this content to adolescents.