Optimizing the HIV Treatment Continuum With a Stepped Care Model for Youth Living With HIV

Viral suppression requires linkage and retention in care, as well as ARV adherence. These are key steps on the HIV Treatment Continuum. Youth Living with HIV (YLH) are far less likely to link or be retained in care, compared to adults. Only 36%-62% of YLH who know their serostatus are linked to medical care within 12 months of diagnosis. Young people are also more likely to drop out from care than adults 25+ years old. Among one sample was YLH (atypically 72% female), initial ARV adherence of 69%; but by one year, ARV adherence was negligible, because only 30% were retained in care. In one ATN study, of YLH, ARV adherence appeared to be about 50%. Originally an undetectable viral load was expected to require 95% ARV adherence. However rates as low as 70% may lead to viral suppression.

In this study, our primary outcome measure will be having a suppressed viral load (i.e., VL< 200) at each four month assessment for 12 months. Viral suppression typically requires adherence to ARV for 24 weeks until an undetectable viral load is achieved. There are many interpersonal and logistical barriers to retaining YLH in care and on ARV consistently. ARV adherence is related to the patient-provider relationship and to perceived side effects, the prescribed regimen, ease of getting ARV refills and a number of personal factors. Medication regimens are becoming much easier, as one pill a day is now one of the most highly used regimens. Unfortunately, the problem behaviors that lead to acquisition of HIV by YLH are factors which are consistently related to low adherence. Low adherence for both YLH and adults living with HIV is associated with younger age, depression, substance abuse and homelessness. Each of these challenges characterizes the lives of the YLH. The interventions proposed focus a great deal on problem-solving, automated messages, and monitoring of these comorbid conditions, so that ARV adherence is not derailed.

This study has a comprehensive retention plan to retain YLH. This plan will be particularly relevant to YLH nationally, who face challenges of homelessness, mental health problems, school-job issues, contact with criminal justice system and risks within their sexual partnerships, in addition to their seropositive HIV status. YLH are likely to deal with coming out as gay, bisexual or transgender, have substantial family conflict, to have abused drugs, may barter sex in order to survive and have a history of mental health problems or disorders. Studies of ARV adherence and retention in care have consistently found depression and the types of life challenges young people are experiencing to be directly related to engagement, retention and adherence to care over time. If the investigators fail to address these comorbid issues with YLH, they expect YLH to fail at achieving viral suppression.

Our Stepped Care approach aims to address these issues with increasingly intensive interventions, based on individual YLH's needs. While addressing comorbid issues may be more costly, it may have substantial saving in the YLH's lowered probability of transmitting HIV.

Stepped Care has been used as an intervention strategy with other chronic diseases and mental health disorders; the investigators believe this will be the first evaluation of stepped care with YLH. The Stepped Care model is a cost-effective and patient-centered approach for achieving better treatment outcomes for chronic illnesses. Under the Stepped Care model, simpler interventions are tried first with more intensive interventions reserved for those who do not benefit from the simple first-line treatments. Stepped Care might be an efficient method of delivering successfully more intensive interventions based on the YLH's behavior. If at any assessment (past a 12 month period when ARV initiated), a YLH in the Stepped Care condition demonstrates an unsuppressed viral load, the next level of intervention is triggered. The strategy typically makes best use of available resources for allocating resources to patients. Rather than everyone getting the same intervention, the dose and type of intervention is linked to outcomes.