Integrating Long-Acting Injectable Treatment to Improve Medication Adherence Among Persons Living With HIV and Opioid Use Disorder

Treatment services for HIV and OUD have historically been delivered across multiple settings leading to fragmented and uncoordinated care. Models of behavior change suggest that addressing multiple health conditions simultaneously through integrated, evidence-based, interventions has the potential to overcome traditional barriers to optimize engagement and improve clinical outcomes. Consistent with this perspective, numerous studies have documented that receipt of opioid agonist treatment, in the context of HIV care, is associated with ART adherence and decreased HIV viral loads. Recent pharmacological advancements have led to the development of novel long-acting, injectable, medications for HIV [cabotegravir co-administered with rilpivirine (CAB/RPV)] and OUD (extended-release buprenorphine). These therapies have the potential to dramatically improve adherence, lead to better control of both diseases, and reduce mortality rates for this vulnerable population. However, currently, little is known about 1) the perceived acceptability/feasibility of combining HIV and OUD treatment into a single point of care; and 2) how best to deliver integrated, monthly injectable, treatment for HIV and OUD to facilitate future implementation. The long-term goal of this line of research is to disseminate an efficacious, integrated, injectable treatment program for HIV and OUD. Through formative qualitative evaluation, our team developed the clinical protocol and implementation procedures for the combine HIV and OUD care using long-acting injectable therapies. As such, the present study is recruiting TMH IC patients (n=30) and clinical staff (n=5-10) for a single-arm open pilot trial of the clinical protocol to determine the effectiveness of implementation strategies for the combined LAI treatment. The investigators expect that, as a result of this project, the protocol will demonstrate high degrees of feasibility, acceptability, and uptake of long-acting injectable medications for HIV and OUD. This work will serve as the foundation for a future NIH Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness-Implementation study.