Building Connections, Reducing Stigma

SOM Tech partnered with Dr. Arnold, Principal Investigator at the California HIV/AIDS Research Program (CHRP), and with the California Prostitutes Education Project (CAL-PEP), a UCSF community partner providing health education and support to people at high risk for HIV/AIDS, to develop a digital tool supporting this work. The study aimed to leverage existing LGBTQ “family” and “house” networks to increase information flow, reduce stigma, and encourage community members to lower sexual risk, seek HIV testing at least every six months, and, for those living with HIV, engage in care and treatment.

Using participatory design methods, we worked directly with the community to scope, design, and develop the tool. The platform integrates videos, images, and quizzes, making it easy for participants to engage with content, contribute their own, and access services—strengthening community connections and reinforcing the study’s messages.

Participatory design workshops engaged users in activities such as sharing likes and dislikes, shaping tone and content, co-design sketching, and reviewing wireframes and visual designs. These sessions guided prioritization of the app’s most valuable features and informed its overall presentation style.

• Real Stories User-submitted videos/photos challenging HIV-related stigma

• Find Services Connect users to local resources with a service map, locator, and user-submitted reviews

• The Facts Provide accurate information in a fun, engaging quiz format updated weekly

• We Are Family Foster a positive online community through the anonymous We Are Family site and WAF Facebook page

My Work

• UX: landscape analysis, identified content and style preferences, priority setting, lit review, co-design with target users

• Facilitated participatory workshops

• Designed interactions and wireframes

• Built prototypes

• Designed website, icons, and visual identity

• Developed style guide and collaborated with vendors

Outcomes and Impact

A feasibility and acceptability study found that the intervention was feasible, acceptable, and showed promise for improving HIV-related health behavior. The study observed modest changes from baseline to follow-up, including increased HIV testing among HIV-negative participants and improved engagement in care among HIV-positive participants. Additionally, 86% of participants expressed willingness to refer a friend to the app, and 65% found the app personally relevant.

Literature:

• We are family: designing and developing a mobile health application for the San Francisco bay area House Ball and Gay Family communities

• We are Family: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study of an HIV Prevention Intervention With the House Ball and Gay Family Communities