Testing Makes Us Stronger™: Evaluating the correlation between exposure and intermediate outcomes targeted by the campaign's messages

Objectives: To examine whether self-reported exposure to Testing Makes Us Stronger™ (TMUS), an HIV testing health communication campaign for black gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (BMSM), was associated with key intermediate outcomes targeted by the campaign's messages.

Methods: Data from sexually active, HIV-negative or unknown status BMSM aged 18-44 (N = 590) were collected through an anonymous Web-based survey that measured sociodemographics, campaign exposure, attitudinal beliefs, normative beliefs, self-efficacy, and HIV testing intentions, among other variables. The association between exposure to TMUS and intermediate outcomes was evaluated using propensity-score weight adjusted correlations.

Results: Exposure to TMUS was high (43%) among the priority audience. Exposure to the campaign was correlated with 8 of 11 intermediate outcomes measured, including key attitudinal beliefs about the accessibility of the test and benefits to the individual, injunctive norms, self-efficacy, and HIV testing intention.

Conclusion: Adhering to principles of effective campaign design, such as using theory as a conceptual foundation for message design, can increase a campaign's chances for successfully meeting its goals and objectives.

Practice implications: Findings from this study can be used to inform message design for other communication efforts to promote HIV testing among BMSM.