BACKGROUND: To address needs for emotional well-being resources for Californians during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Together for Wellness/Juntos por Nuestro Bienestar (T4W/Juntos) website was developed in collaboration with multiple community partners across California, funded by the California Department of Health Care Services Behavioral Health Division federal emergency response. OBJECTIVE: This qualitative study was designed to explore and describe the perspectives of participants affiliated with California organizations on the T4W/Juntos website, understand their needs for web-based emotional health resources, and inform iterative website development. METHODS: After providing informed consent and reviewing the website, telephone interviews were conducted with 29 participants (n=21, 72% in English and n=8, 28% in Spanish) recruited by partnering community agencies (October 2021-February 2022). A 6-phase thematic analysis was conducted, enhanced using grounded theory techniques. The investigators wrote reflexive memos and performed line-by-line coding of 12 transcripts. Comparative analyses led to the identification of 15 overarching codes. The ATLAS.ti Web software (ATLAS.ti Scientific Software Development GmbH) was used to mark all 29 transcripts using these codes. After examining the data grouped by codes, comparative analyses led to the identification of main themes, each with a central organizing concept. RESULTS: Four main themes were identified: (1) having to change my coping due to the pandemic, (2) confronting a context of shifting perceptions of mental health stigma among diverse groups, (3) Feels like home-experiencing a sense of inclusivity and belonging in T4W/Juntos, and (4) Its a one-stop-shop-judging T4W/Juntos to be a desirable and useful website. Overall, the T4W/Juntos website communicated support and community to this sample during the pandemic. Participants shared suggestions for website improvement, including adding a back button and a drop-down menu to improve functionality as well as resources tailored to the needs of groups such as older adults; adolescents; the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community; police officers; and veterans. CONCLUSIONS: The qualitative findings from telephone interviews with this sample of community members and service providers in California suggest that, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the T4W/Juntos website was well received as a useful, accessible tool, with some concerns noted such as language sometimes being too professional or clinical. The look, feel, and content of the website were described as welcoming due to pictures, animations, and videos that showcased resources in a personal, colorful, and inviting way. Furthermore, the content was perceived as lacking the stigma typically attached to mental health, reflecting the commitment of the T4W/Juntos team. Unique features and diverse resources, including multiple languages, made the T4W/Juntos website a valuable resource, potentially informing dissemination. Future efforts to develop mental health websites should consider engaging a diverse sample of potential users to understand how to tailor messages to specific communities and help reduce stigma.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) has limited availability across Latin America, though access is increasing. We explored PrEP uptake in Mexico via an online survey completed by Spanish-speaking, Hornet geosocial networking application (GSN app) users without HIV (n = 2020). Most (81.3%) had heard of PrEP, 3.5% were current users, and 34.2% intended to take PrEP within six months. Current PrEP use was associated with PrEP eligibility (aOR 26.07 [95%CI 13.05-52.09], p < 0.001), recent STI testing (aOR 3.79 [95%CI 1.10-13.11], p = 0.035), and recent chemsex (aOR 3.02 [95%CI 1.02-8.93], p = 0.046). Recent STI testing was associated with hearing about PrEP from a doctor (aOR 3.26 [95%CI 1.98-5.36], p < 0.001), and those who lived in large cities were less likely to have learned about PrEP via Hornet (aOR 0.52 [95%CI 0.32-0.85], p = 0.009). Interventions to increase PrEP uptake in Mexico should build upon existing health networks and utilize GSN apps for PrEP information dissemination, particularly in less populated areas.

Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) access is increasing in Latin America. We explored PrEP use among Spanish-speaking, Hornet geosocial networking application users from Latin American countries with limited PrEP data via an online survey completed between December 2018 and February 2019. A total of 718 Hornet users from 10 countries were included, of whom 72.1% reported PrEP awareness. Few (5.6%) were currently taking PrEP, though 32.1% intended to take PrEP in the subsequent 6 months. PrEP awareness was lower in 18-25 year olds compared to 26+ (62.4% vs. 75.6%, aOR 0.67, [95% CI 0.46-0.97]), and higher among those living in larger versus smaller cities (74.4% vs. 58.8%, aOR 1.96, [95% CI 1.25-3.07]) or countries with at least partial versus no PrEP policy adoption (79.1% vs. 60.8%, aOR 2.20, [95% CI 1.56-3.12]). Intention to use PrEP was higher among PrEP-eligible respondents (51.8% vs. 29.6%, aOR 2.26, [95% CI 1.26-4.07]) and those recently tested for a sexually transmitted infection (35.4% vs. 25.5%, aOR 1.58, [95% CI 1.01-2.48]). Efforts to expand PrEP use in Latin America should focus on national PrEP policy adoption, and research should explore barriers to awareness and use among young men who have sex with men.

Sexual violence and sexual harassment (SVSH) are prevalent among college and university students; however, the experiences of ethnic minority students, especially Asians, are understudied. This study aimed to reduce this gap by exploring Asian students' perceptions of SVSH on three public university campuses in Southern California. We examined their perceptions about the campus environment related to SVSH, attitudes, and behaviors toward help seeking, and utilization of on-campus resources. A total of 23 in-depth interviews were conducted with Asian students enrolled at the three University of California campuses. Thematic coding was conducted to generate main themes and subthemes. Five main themes emerged: (a) SVSH is considered a "taboo" topic in Asian culture and family systems, and Asian student survivors are often reluctant to disclose incidents or seek support services. (b) Students did not feel their campus environments were tailored to understand or meet the sociocultural realities and needs of Asian student survivors. (c) Campus SVSH services and reporting processes were seen as non-transparent. (d) Peers were the major source of support and SVSH information, as opposed to official campus-based resources and training. (e) Survivors often conduct an internal cost-benefit analysis evaluating their decision about whether to report. This study highlights the lack of conversation surrounding SVSH in Asian families, and how the cultural stigma of sex and sexual violence prevented Asian students from receiving knowledge and resources about these topics in their families. Instead of relying on formal campus resources (e.g., Title IX and confidential advocacy services, mental health services), many students turn to their peers for support. Thus, facilitating peer support groups, training university students to support each other through SVSH incidents, and tailoring campus services to the diverse cultural backgrounds of students are key considerations to foster a safe campus environment and prevent SVSH.