Using Open Contest and Neuro-Influence Experiment to Develop and Evaluate PrEP Promotion Messages for High Risk Men

Project Summary Latinx communities have experienced profound disparities in COVID-19 cases, morbidity, and mortality. With anticipated advances in COVID-19 testing technologies and vaccine development in the next few months, failing to provide equitable access to testing and future vaccination will exacerbate the profound disparities in COVID-19 seen among Latinx communities. Significant gaps in knowledge remain with respect to what are the key modifiable facilitators and barriers associated with COVID-19 testing uptake in Latinx communities and how to engage and build trusting relationships with Latinx communities to develop culturally and linguistically congruent COVID-19 testing programs. This proposal's overarching objectives are (1) to better understand multi-level determinants likely to influence COVID-19 testing access, acceptability, and uptake, and (2) to develop culturally and linguistically congruent COVID-19 testing strategies using crowdsourcing open contests among Latinx communities in Baltimore, MD; Denver, Co; and Tampa Bay, FL. This study team has extensive experience in community engagement, research, and program implementation with Latinx communities. Built upon established collaborations with community partners in each study site, activities proposed in this study include full participation of community partners in research design, implementation, and dissemination. Findings developed through this project will directly inform community-engaged COVID-19 testing programs and as well as targeted strategies to engage racial and ethnic minority communities disproportionately affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. We will actively coordinate and share data and protocols with other grantees, the CDCC, and other research supported by the RADx-UP program.