Get Connected: Linking YMSM to Adequate Care Through a Multilevel, Tailored WebApp Intervention
Trial Snapshot
- Phase
- Not Applicable
- Status
- Completed
- Sponsor
- University of Pennsylvania
- Enrollment
- 285
- Locations
- 6
- Primary Endpoint
- Percent of Participants Reporting Changes in Their HIV Testing Behavior Using Self-report Questionnaires
Study Overview
Brief Summary
Get Connected (GC) is an online brief intervention that employs individual and systems-level tailoring technology to reduce barriers to HIV prevention care (e.g., HIV/STI testing, PrEP) for YMSM. The deployment of GC through a mobile-friendly WebApp seeks to optimize online interventions' acceptability, accessibility, availability, long-term affordability among youth. The investigators will enroll self-reported HIV-negative or sero-status unaware, sexually active YMSM (ages 15-24) across three cities and randomize them into the GC intervention condition or to an attention-control condition. Assessments will be collected at 30 days and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 month follow-up.
Detailed Description
The number of HIV infections among men who have sex with men aged 15-24 (YMSM) has grown significantly in the past decade. For YMSM to successfully engage in HIV prevention and care services requires that they navigate a series of multilevel barriers operating at the individual (e.g., risk awareness, self-efficacy to get tested), systems (e.g., costs, medical mistrust, lack of culturally competent care), and structural (e.g., homelessness, costs, stigma) levels.
The investigators developed Get Connected (GC) as an online brief intervention that employs individual and systems-level tailoring technology to reduce barriers to linkage to competent prevention care (e.g., HIV/STI testing, PrEP) for YMSM (ages 15-24). After a formative phase comprised of assessing HIV testing sites' performance via a mystery shopping procedure, the investigators will test the efficacy of GC for increasing YMSM's successful engagement in locally appropriate HIV prevention and care using a two-arm randomized controlled trial.
The trial will compare the full GC intervention to the GC HIV test locator. Participants will be recruited from three cities (Houston, Philadelphia and Atlanta) characterized by high HIV incidence, and followed over 12 months. Assessments will be collected at 30 days and at 3, 6, 9 and 12 month follow-up.
Specific Aims include:
Aim 1: Examine the quality of HIV test counseling and PrEP-related referrals to YMSM within local HIV/STI testing sites in 3 cities (Houston, Philadelphia & Atlanta).
Study Design
- Study Type
- Interventional
- Allocation
- Randomized
- Intervention Model
- Parallel
- Primary Purpose
- Prevention
- Masking
- Single (Participant)
Eligibility Criteria
- Ages
- 15 Years to 24 Years (Child, Adult)
- Sex
- Male
- Accepts Healthy Volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria
- •Assigned male sex at birth and currently identifies as male
- •Aged 15 to 24 years (inclusive) at time of screening
- •Self-report as HIV-negative or sero-status unaware
- •Speak and read English
- •Not be on PrEP at time of enrollment
- •Report having consensual anal sex with a male partner in the prior 6 months
- •Reside in Philadelphia, Houston, or Atlanta
- •Access to internet
Exclusion Criteria
- •Assigned female sex at birth
- •Assigned male sex at birth but identifies as transgender or gender non-conforming
- •Aged 14 years or younger or 25 years or older at time of screening
- •HIV-positive
- •Does not speak or read English
- •Currently taking PrEP
- •Did not have consensual anal sex with a male partner in the prior 6 months
- •Does not reside in Philadelphia, Houston, or Atlanta
- •Currently incarcerated
- •Planning to move out of the region in next 12 months
Arms & Interventions
Get Connected
Get Connected is a brief intervention focused on resolving ambivalence about HIV prevention behaviors, increasing self-efficacy for change, and enhancing motivation moving toward action.
Intervention: Get Connected (Behavioral)
HIV Test Locator
Participants randomized to the control condition will receive the Get Connected testing site locator. Given the availability of search engines to locate HIV/STI testing sites, the test locator condition may be considered usual care.
Intervention: HIV Test Locator (Behavioral)
Outcomes
Primary Outcomes
Percent of Participants Reporting Changes in Their HIV Testing Behavior Using Self-report Questionnaires
Time Frame: 12 month
The investigators will estimate the proportion of participants who test at least twice for HIV over a 12-month period by intervention group.
Secondary Outcomes
- Percent of Participants Reporting Changes in PrEP Uptake Using Self-report Questionnaires(12 month)
- Percent of Participants Reporting Changes in Their STI Testing Behavior Using Self-report Questionnaires(12 month)