Table 1.
Characteristics of included studies (n = 55)
| Characteristics | Total | Pilot trials | Efficacy trials | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N | % | N | % | N | % | |
| Total | 55 | 100.0 | 17 | 30.9 | 38 | 69.1 |
| Study designs | ||||||
| RCT | 37 | 67.3 | 10 | 58.8 | 27 | 71.0 |
| Quasi-experiment | 6 | 10.9 | 0 | 0.0 | 6 | 15.8 |
| Pre-post design | 12 | 21.8 | 7 | 41.2 | 5 | 13.2 |
| Duration of follow-up (months) | 0.0 | |||||
| ≤ 1 months | 10 | 18.2 | 5 | 29.4 | 5 | 13.2 |
| > 1–3 months | 17 | 30.8 | 6 | 35.3 | 11 | 28.9 |
| > 3–6 months | 15 | 27.3 | 5 | 29.4 | 10 | 26.3 |
| > 6–12 months | 10 | 18.2 | 1 | 5.9 | 9 | 23.7 |
| No report | 3 | 5.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Main eHealth modes | ||||||
| Website | 22 | 40.0 | 6 | 35.3 | 16 | 42.1 |
| SMS/email/text/voice messages | 9 | 16.4 | 3 | 17.6 | 6 | 15.8 |
| Video | 7 | 12.6 | 2 | 11.8 | 5 | 13.2 |
| Computer-assisted | 3 | 5.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Multimedia | 2 | 3.6 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Live chat and chat room | 3 | 5.5 | 2 | 11.8 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Virtual simulation | 1 | 1.8 | 0 | 0.0 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Online social network | 5 | 9.1 | 0 | 0.0 | 5 | 13.2 |
| Smartphone applications | 3 | 5.5 | 3 | 17.6 | 0 | 0.0 |
| Settings | ||||||
| United States | 36 | 65.5 | 15 | 88.2 | 21 | 55.3 |
| Canada and Latin America | 3 | 5.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Europe | 3 | 5.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Asia and Australia | 13 | 23.5 | 2 | 11.8 | 11 | 28.9 |
| Population | ||||||
| General MSM | 42 | 76.4 | 13 | 76.4 | 29 | 76.3 |
| Young MSM | 4 | 7.3 | 2 | 11.8 | 2 | 5.3 |
| Rural MSM | 2 | 3.6 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Black MSM | 2 | 3.6 | 0 | 0.0 | 2 | 5.3 |
| HIV + MSM | 3 | 5.5 | 0 | 0.0 | 3 | 7.9 |
| Methaphetamin-using MSM | 2 | 3.6 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 2.6 |
| Major primary outcomes | ||||||
| Sexual risk behaviors | 33 | 60.0 | 10 | 58.8 | 23 | 60.5 |
| HIV/STI testing and self-testing | 19 | 34.5 | 5 | 29.4 | 14 | 36.8 |
| HIV/STI disclosure, stigma, and internalized homonegativity | 9 | 16.4 | 1 | 5.9 | 8 | 21.1 |
| HIV/STI knowledge and attitudes | 8 | 14.5 | 1 | 5.9 | 7 | 18.4 |
| Self-efficacy | 7 | 12.7 | 3 | 17.6 | 4 | 10.5 |
| Others (quality of life, pre-exposure prophylaxis undertaking, substance use, etc.) | 21 | 38.2 | 9 | 52.9 | 12 | 31.6 |
| Behavioral theory use | ||||||
| None | 21 | 38.2 | 5 | 29.4 | 16 | 42.1 |
| Single theory | 18 | 32.7 | 8 | 47.1 | 10 | 26.3 |
| Multiple theories | 16 | 29.1 | 4 | 23.5 | 12 | 31.6 |
| Booster intervention | ||||||
| No | 53 | 96.4 | 16 | 94.1 | 37 | 97.4 |
| Yes | 2 | 3.6 | 1 | 5.9 | 1 | 2.6 |