Sólo Se Vive Una Vez: Evaluation of a Social Marketing Campaign Promoting HIV Screening and Prevention for Immigrant Latinxs

Abstract

Latinxs in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV and more likely to have delayed diagnosis than their non-Latinx peers. We developed and implemented Sólo Se Vive Una Vez (You Only Live Once), the first Spanish-language campaign aimed at improving HIV testing and prevention among Latinx immigrants in Baltimore, Maryland. Sólo Se Vive Una Vez featured a website (www.solovive.org) and social marketing campaign promoting free HIV testing through the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) clinic and Latinx outreach team. The campaign was not associated with a change in the overall number of Latinxs obtaining HIV testing. However, Latinx HIV testers who reported being exposed to the campaign had significantly higher rates of high-risk sexual behaviors, mean number of sexual partners, and substance use. The campaign was also associated with increased PrEP referrals through the BCHD Latinx outreach team.

HIV-related stigma among Spanish-speaking Latinos in an emerging immigrant city following the Solo Se Vive Una Vez social marketing campaign

“…Findings from the current survey and the broader Vive evaluation demonstrate that the campaign reached a considerable fraction of the Latino community and promoted HIV testing among this group [ 27 , 28 ]. However, respondents in the post- Vive campaign period showed more stigmatizing beliefs than those surveyed pre- Vive .…”

“…Social marketing has been shown to be an effective strategy for promoting HIV screening and reducing HIV stigma [ 23 , 24 ]. To improve HIV testing and linkage to care among Latinos in Baltimore, a new immigrant receiving community with a rapidly growing immigrant population, we developed the multilevel social marketing campaign Sólo Se Vive Una Vez (You Only Live Once, henceforth referred to as Vive ) through partnerships with the Baltimore City Health Department (BCHD) Latino outreach team, community members and leaders, Altavista Studios, Maryland Institute College of Art (MICA), and academic investigators from Johns Hopkins University [ 25 – 28 ]. The individual-level component of the campaign was a website ( www.solovive.org ) with culturally sensitive video modules which individuals could select based on their perceived barrier(s) to HIV testing and/or HIV-related stigmatizing beliefs.…”

“…The aims of this paper are to 1) characterize the sociodemographic characteristics, HIV-related stigma beliefs, and testing behaviors of the survey respondents by campaign exposure, and 2) model the effects of Vive exposure on stigma beliefs and testing behaviors. Findings on the campaign’s reach and broader impact on HIV screening among Latinos in Baltimore are published elsewhere [ 27 , 28 ].…”

Assessing the Impact of a PrEP Aware Week Campaign on PrEP Prescription Fills in NYS

“…10 While an HIV testing campaign designed to promote testing to foreign-born Latinx individuals in Baltimore, Maryland, was not associated with increased HIV testing, it did appear to reach persons at an elevated risk for acquiring HIV/AIDS and it was connected to increases in PrEP referrals. 11 Another study found evidence that a media campaign targeting NYC-based men who have sex with men was successful at increasing PEP requests at the clinic associated with the campaign. 12 Although we found no study to demonstrate a connection between PrEP awareness campaigns and actual increases in PrEP uptake, a few studies provided support that public messaging can increase awareness of PrEP.…”

“…Improvements in attitudes and self-efficacy toward HIV testing, as well as increased HIV testing, were connected to a 16-week campaign targeted to Latinx men having male-to-male sexual contact in Seattle 10. While an HIV testing campaign designed to promote testing to foreign-born Latinx individuals in Baltimore, Maryland, was not associated with increased HIV testing, it did appear to reach persons at an elevated risk for acquiring HIV/AIDS and it was connected to increases in PrEP referrals 11. Another study found evidence that a media campaign targeting NYC-based men who have sex with men was successful at increasing PEP requests at the clinic associated with the campaign 12.…”