Social Norms and Priming to Improve Adherence to Antiretroviral Therapy and Retention in Care

Not Applicable

Completed

• Conditions: Adherence; HIV Infection
• Interventions: Behavioral: Intervention

• Registration Number: NCT02938533
• Lead Sponsor: University of California, Berkeley

Brief Summary

Interventions incorporating constructs from behavioral economics and psychology have the potential to enhance HIV 'treatment as prevention' (TasP) strategies. To test this hypothesis, the investigators evaluated a combination intervention to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence based on the concepts of social norms and priming.

Detailed Description

The investigators conducted a quasi-experimental pilot study of a combination behavioral intervention based on the concepts of social norms and priming. The intervention included visual feedback about clinic-level retention in care, a self-relevant prime, and useful take-home items with the priming image. The intervention was developed using tools from marketing research and patient-centered design. The hypothesis was that the intervention would improve retention in care and adherence to ART among patients living with HIV infection (PLHIV). The intervention was implemented at two HIV primary clinics in Shinyanga, Tanzania in 2-week intervals for six months. The investigators reviewed medical records of a random sample of exposed and unexposed adult PLHIV to compare retention and the proportion of patients with medication possession ratio (MPR) ≥95% after six months.

Study Timeline

• Study Start: 2015-08
• Primary Completion: 2016-05
• Study Completion: 2016-07
• Study First Submitted: 2016-10-11
• Study First Submitted QC: 2016-10-17
• Study First Posted: 2016-10-19
• Status Verified: 2017-10
• Last Update Submitted: 2017-10-26
• Last Update Posted: 2017-10-30

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: COMPLETED
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 438

Inclusion Criteria

1. At least 18 years of age
2. Living with HIV infection
3. Receiving HIV primary care at one of the two study clinics

Exclusion Criteria

Not provided

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
Behavioral Intervention Using Social Norms and Priming	Intervention	Patients in this arm may have been exposed to the behavioral intervention, which included the following components: 1) visual feedback about clinic-level retention in care through an interactive poster; 2) a self-relevant priming image that appeared on all components; and 3) a take-home item (i.e., pillbox or calendar) with the priming image.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Retention in care, defined as an attended visit between 150-210 days after the baseline visit	6 months	This measure of retention in care accounts for variability in visit scheduling by individual providers and therefore uses a window period of 150-210 days to determine whether the patient was in care at 6 months
>=95% medication possession ratio (MPR)	6 months	MPR is a measure of ART adherence that is correlated with viral suppression

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
The proportion of scheduled visits that were completed during the 6-month observation period	6 months
Medication possession ratio (MPR), continuous scale	6 months

Trial Locations

Locations (2)

Bugsi Dispensary; 🇹🇿 Kahama, Shinyanga, Tanzania

Tinde Health Center; 🇹🇿 Shinyanga, Tanzania