JMIR Publications

ABSTRACT

Background:

Youth mentoring can promote positive development for mentees. Due to social and structural factors, young people in under-resourced neighborhoods often do not have adequate access to mentors, and naturally occurring mentors are more common than formal mentors through a program. There is little information on the impact of naturally occurring mentors on youth in general, and even less on the role mentors may play in promoting healthy outcomes in sexual and gender minority youth. African American young men who have sex with men (YMSM) are more likely to reside in communities with limited access to formalized mentorship programs and may benefit from naturally occurring mentoring relationships that address health outcomes, specifically related to HIV.

Objective:

This study was a pilot test of a mobile app designed to assist the mentors of African American YMSM in addressing HIV and related topics.

Methods:

Following consent, eligible naturally occurring mentoring pairs involving African American YMSM in Baltimore, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. pilot tested the app, UrbanMentorHub. Participants downloaded the app and used it for one month, completed pre-/post-intervention surveys, and participated in a follow-up focus group discussion. Descriptive statistics were calculated to assess participants’ sociodemographic characteristics and HIV- and mentorship-related measures. Wilcoxon signed-rank tests were used to test for statistically significant differences in knowledge, confidence, and outcome expectancy measures pre-/post-app use. Focus group discussions were audio recorded and transcribed. Transcripts were thematically coded and analyzed to identify ways in which UrbanMentorHub could be improved for the mentoring context.

Results:

Nine mentorship pairs participated in this pilot test (N=18). Mentors scored high in terms of knowledge, confidence, outcome expectancy, skills, and intentions related to HIV and mentoring. No pre/post changes were observed in these measures. Mentors reported usually initiating conversations around HIV testing and PrEP; mentees and mentors equally initiated conversations on sexual practices and same-sex relationships. Mentors reported sexual practices being the most frequently discussed topic in the past month and PrEP being the least discussed. Mentees reported high knowledge and comfort related to HIV and conversations on HIV. No pre/post change was observed regarding HIV knowledge. Most mentees reported having discussed most of the HIV-related topics with their mentor in the past month. Mentor feedback on the app was mostly neutral, though they reported positive perceptions of the idea of the app, indicating the potential for addressing a need in their communities. Mentors suggested ways to improve the app’s content and design elements.

Conclusions:

This pilot test suggests an app intended to support mentors of African American YMSM with health-related conversations can be helpful for mentors and mentees.