Preferences for Shigellosis-Related Health Promotion Materials for Gay, Bisexual, and Other Men Who Have Sex With Men: Results From a Qualitative Assessment, Atlanta, GA

BACKGROUND Shigellosis, an acute diarrheal disease, is the third most common bacterial infection in the United States. Shigellosis most commonly affects children under the age of 5; however, clusters and outbreaks of shigellosis have been reported among gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Evidence suggests that knowledge of shigellosis among MSM is low, indicating health promotion outreach is needed for this population. METHODS To inform the development of shigellosis-related health communication materials and strategies, six focus groups were conducted in 2017, in Atlanta, Georgia among 24 self-identified gay and bisexual men. Participants were asked about their preferences and recommendations for health communication materials. RESULTS Participants indicated they would prefer a range of physical and virtual materials placed in diverse locations where the community would see them. Respondents recommended health messages be simple, quick to read, and concise and have limited word counts. Participants also advised the use of diverse images that were inclusive of couples of varying sexual orientations to reduce stigma. Participants advocated for the use of humor and provocative images to increase user engagement. CONCLUSIONS The results emphasize the potential benefits of conducting formative research when designing health communication materials. Incorporating messaging preferences of MSM in the development of shigellosis-related health communication materials could enhance their relevance for the target population, while also avoiding unintended consequences associated with stigmatizing MSM.