(P125) INCREASING STI/HIV PREVENTIVE BEHAVIORS AND ADDRESSING COMMUNITY-PRIORITIZED SOCIAL DETERMINANTS OF HEALTH AMONG YOUNG GBQMSM AND TRANSGENDER WOMEN OF COLOR: OUTCOMES FROM THE PILOT OF IMPACT TRIAD, A BILINGUAL MULTILEVEL INTERVENTION

Background:
STIs and HIV disproportionately affect young people; gay, bisexual, queer, and other men who have sex with men (GBQMSM); transgender women; and persons of color. Our community-based participatory research (CBPR) partnership developed and implemented Impact Triad, a bilingual multilevel intervention that harnesses peer navigation and mHealth to increase STI/HIV preventive behaviors and address four community-prioritized social determinants of health (education, employment, social support, and discrimination) among young African American/Black and Latine GBQMSM and transgender women.

Methods:
Fifteen community-based peer navigators were trained to serve as “community navigators”/“navegantes comunitarios” and were supported for 12 months. Each worked with 5 enrolled social network members in-person and via social media. Social network participants completed baseline and immediate post-intervention follow-up assessments. The retention rate was 97.3%. In this single-arm study, regression modeling was used to assess the change in outcomes between baseline and follow-up with random intercepts for participants and navigators.

Results:
Seventy-four social network members enrolled; mean age was 27.8 (range=18-34); 61% identified as African American/Black, 31% as Latine, and 8% as multiracial; and 26% reported being born outside of the US. The majority self-identified as male, and 8% as transgender female; 78% identified as gay. Half reported monthly income below $1,000.

Compared to baseline, at immediate post-intervention follow-up, social network members significantly increased: STI (P=.001) and HIV screening (P=.001), condom use (P=.03), and PrEP uptake (P=.02). Participants also increased knowledge of PrEP (P <.0001) and of community-based educational (P=.047), job training (P=.002), and job-finding resources (P=.02). Social support increased (P <.0001) and perceived discrimination decreased (P <.01).

Conclusion:
Evidence-based strategies are needed to reduce risks and increase health equity among sexual and gender minority populations. Impact Triad was efficacious in increasing STI/HIV preventive behaviors and addressing social determinants of health within a sample of young GBQMSM and transgender women of color. Impact Triad is ready for rigorous evaluation.