Lessons learned while preparing a tailored, self-help, technology-driven intervention for national dissemination

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Health Behavior
• Intervention Science

Background:

• Tailored health interventions improve engagement by personalizing content to individual risk behaviors.
• The application of tailored interventions for sexually transmitted disease/human immunodeficiency virus (STD/HIV) prevention remains underutilized.
• A gap exists in the literature regarding the practical translation of tailored interventions from research settings to real-world application.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the process of translating a tailored, self-help, technology-driven STD/HIV prevention intervention from research to practice.
• To identify lessons learned from a pilot test involving multiple agencies and diverse participants.

Main Methods:

• A tailored, self-help, technology-driven STD/HIV prevention intervention was translated into practice.
• Three agencies participated in testing the intervention materials.
• A pilot test involved over 250 racially diverse women across six states.

Main Results:

• The translation process yielded valuable lessons for implementing tailored interventions.
• The pilot test provided insights into adapting interventions for broader reach.
• Compatibility with mobile technology emerged as a key factor for expanding intervention accessibility.

Conclusions:

• Translating tailored STD/HIV prevention interventions into practice is feasible but requires strategic planning.
• Adapting interventions for mobile technology can significantly enhance their reach and impact.
• Further research on research-to-practice translation is needed to optimize public health outcomes.