What is HealthMpowerment?

HealthMpowerment (HMP) is an app designed to provide health and wellness information and resources relevant to young people in the United States. HMP covers a range of health and lifestyle topics to support users’ diverse backgrounds and varying needs over time.

HMP was created by Lisa Hightow-Weidman, MD, MPH, a public health scientist with extensive expertise in mHealth interventions.

Visit the HMP Website 

Risk Reduction Findings

HMP has effectively reduced condomless anal intercourse (CAI) and HIV-related stigma among young black sexual minority men (YBSMM) living with or with increased likelihood for HIV. In an RCT comparing HMP to an information-only control arm, rates of CAI at 3-months were 32% lower in the HMP group (IR 0.68, 95% CI: 0.43, 0.93) and the intervention was more effective for participants who used HMP for more than 60 minutes during the 3-month intervention period. In subsequent mixed-methods analysis, online discussions around HIV stigma were associated with HIV-related communication (e.g., provider communication, HIV status disclosure to sexual partners) and improved HIV care outcomes (e.g., perceived barriers to treatment access, engagement in care, self-reported adherence) over time.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has identified HMP as a good evidence-based intervention (EBI) for HIV risk reduction. Good EBIs are scientifically sound and provide sufficient evidence of efficacy.1 Good EBIs offer promising evidence because they have demonstrated significant positive pre-post intervention differences in 1-group study designs. The CDC recommends health departments and community-based organizations implement evidence-based interventions. The dissemination of risk reduction EBIs is a critical part of building capacity among organizations that implement prevention programs for populations at risk for HIV.² View the CDC’s description of HMP in their compendium here.

Projects

The HMP platform has been adapted for use in research studies globally. Check out the project locations map below, or click the buttons to learn more about each research project on the HMP website.