Arena Sandy, Adams Mackenzie, Burns Jade
School of Nursing, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, United States.
JMIR Form Res. 2024 Apr 24;8:e48371. doi: 10.2196/48371.
Research has shown that heterosexual African American male individuals aged 18-24 years have a higher prevalence of sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and are more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior. There is a critical need to promote sexual reproductive health (SRH) services among this population, especially in urban settings. Young African American male individuals use social media platforms to access health information, showcasing the potential of social media and web-based links as tools to leverage electronic engagement with this population to promote SRH care.
This study aims to explore electronic engagement with young African American male individuals in discussions about SRH care. This paper focuses on the recruitment and social media marketing methods used to recruit young, heterosexual African American male individuals aged 18-24 years for the Stay Safe Project, a larger study that aims to promote SRH services among this population in Detroit, Michigan. We investigate the use of TinyURL, a URL shortener and customized tool, and culturally informed social media marketing strategies to promote electronic engagement within this population.
Participants were recruited between December 2021 and February 2022 through various modes, including email listserves, Mailchimp, the UMHealthResearch website, X (formerly Twitter), Facebook, and Instagram. Images and vector graphics of African American male individuals were used to create social media advertisements that directed participants to click on a TinyURL that led to a recruitment survey for the study.
TinyURL metrics were used to monitor demographic and user data, analyzing the top countries, browsers, operating systems, and devices of individuals who engaged with the customized TinyURL links and the total human and unique clicks from various social media platforms. Mailchimp was the most successful platform for electronic engagement with human and unique clicks on the custom TinyURL link, followed by Instagram and Facebook. In contrast, X, traditional email, and research recruiting websites had the least engagement among our population. Success was determined based on the type of user and follower for each platform, whether gained in the community through sign-ups or promoted at peak user time and embedded and spotlighted on nontraditional media (eg, social media sites, blogs, and podcasts) for the user. Low engagement (eg, traditional email) from the target population, limited visibility, and fewer followers contributed to decreased engagement.
This study provides insight into leveraging customized, shortened URLs, TinyURL metrics, and social media platforms to improve electronic engagement with young African American male individuals seeking information and resources about SRH care. The results of this study have been used to develop a pilot intervention for this population that will contribute to strategies for encouraging sexual well-being, clinic use, and appropriate linkage to SRH care services among young, heterosexual African American male individuals.
研究表明，年龄在18 - 24岁的异性恋非裔美国男性性传播感染（STIs）的患病率较高，且更有可能从事危险的性行为。在这一人群中，尤其是在城市环境中，迫切需要推广性生殖健康（SRH）服务。年轻的非裔美国男性使用社交媒体平台获取健康信息，这展示了社交媒体和基于网络的链接作为工具的潜力，可利用电子方式与该人群互动以促进SRH护理。
本研究旨在探索在关于SRH护理的讨论中与年轻非裔美国男性进行电子互动。本文重点关注用于招募年龄在18 - 24岁的年轻异性恋非裔美国男性参与“安全计划”的招募和社交媒体营销方法，该计划是一项更大规模的研究，旨在为密歇根州底特律的这一人群推广SRH服务。我们研究了使用TinyURL（一种网址缩短器和定制工具）以及具有文化针对性的社交媒体营销策略来促进该人群中的电子互动。
在2021年12月至2022年2月期间，通过多种方式招募参与者，包括电子邮件列表、Mailchimp、UMHealthResearch网站、X（原推特）、脸书和照片墙。使用非裔美国男性的图像和矢量图形制作社交媒体广告，引导参与者点击一个TinyURL，该链接指向该研究的招募调查问卷。
TinyURL指标用于监测人口统计学和用户数据，分析与定制的TinyURL链接互动的个人的顶级国家、浏览器、操作系统和设备，以及来自各种社交媒体平台的总点击量和独立点击量。Mailchimp是与定制TinyURL链接进行电子互动时，在总点击量和独立点击量方面最成功的平台，其次是照片墙和脸书。相比之下，X、传统电子邮件和研究招募网站在我们的人群中互动最少。成功与否取决于每个平台的用户和关注者类型，无论是通过社区注册获得，还是在用户高峰时间推广，并在非传统媒体（如社交媒体网站、博客和播客）上为用户嵌入和突出展示。目标人群参与度低（如传统电子邮件）、可见度有限以及关注者较少导致互动减少。
本研究为利用定制的缩短网址、TinyURL指标和社交媒体平台来改善与寻求SRH护理信息和资源的年轻非裔美国男性的电子互动提供了见解。本研究的结果已被用于为该人群制定一项试点干预措施，这将有助于制定策略，鼓励年轻异性恋非裔美国男性的性健康状况改善，并促使他们使用诊所服务以及与SRH护理服务进行适当对接。
