← Back to Search

Social Network Support for HIV Care

N/A

Waitlist Available

Research Sponsored by Medical College of Wisconsin

Eligibility Criteria Checklist

Specific guidelines that determine who can or cannot participate in a clinical trial

Must have

reports a history of sex with males in the prior 12 months

age 18 or older

Must not have

reports no history of sex with males in the prior 12 months

not male at birth

Timeline

Screening 3 weeks

Treatment Varies

Follow Up 6 months

Awards & highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

Summary

This trial will recruit 100 HIV+ men who have sex with men and compare the effects of an individual care counseling intervention to a social support mobilization intervention. The study will assess whether the social support mobilization intervention produces greater evidence of benefit on the primary outcome of medical care attendance and on secondary outcomes of having undetectable viral load, ART adherence, and psychosocial well-being.

Who is the study for?

This trial is for HIV+ men over 18 who have sex with men, haven't visited an HIV care provider in the last 6 months or are less than 95% adherent to their ART medication. It's not for those under 18, not male at birth, HIV-negative or unknown status individuals, those already following treatment well, or participants of a prior pilot test.

What is being tested?

The study tests if adding social support mobilization (SSM) to individual care counseling (ICC) helps out-of-care HIV+ men engage better with medical care. Participants will attend sessions focused on resilience and developing supportive networks and will be assessed over a year to see if SSM improves attendance at medical appointments and overall health outcomes.

What are the potential side effects?

Since this trial involves counseling and social support rather than medications, there aren't typical drug side effects. However, discussing sensitive topics might cause emotional discomfort or stress.

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

You may be eligible if you check “Yes” for the criteria below

Select...

I have had sexual relations with males in the last year.

Select...

I am 18 years old or older.

Select...

I was assigned male at birth.

Exclusion Criteria

You may be eligible for the trial if you check “No” for criteria below:

Select...

I have not had sexual relations with males in the last year.

Select...

I was not assigned male at birth.

Select...

I am 17 years old or younger.

Timeline

Screening ~ 3 weeks3 visits

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~ 6 months

Screening ~ 3 weeks

Treatment ~ Varies

Follow Up ~6 months

This trial's timeline: 3 weeks for screening, Varies for treatment, and 6 months for reporting.

Treatment Details

Study Objectives

Study objectives can provide a clearer picture of what you can expect from a treatment.

Primary study objectives

HIV Medical Appointments Kept

HIV Medical Appointments Missed

Awards & Highlights

No Placebo-Only Group

All patients enrolled in this study will receive some form of active treatment.

Trial Design

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Active Control

Group I: Social Support MobilizationExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

In addition to the post-baseline 20-minute individual counseling session, each participant in this arm will attend five main intervention sessions and two booster sessions that have three inter-related objectives: (1) ensuring that participants understand that viral suppression through ART maintains health and protects others; (2) increasing resilience and feelings of self-worth; and (3) guiding participants in identifying, accessing, and mobilizing social resources for both general psychosocial support and also specific supports for HIV care. For individuals who have potential supports in their social environment, the intervention will seek to mobilize or increase the frequency and quality of interactions with them. For participants who are presently socially isolated or whose social resources are not supportive of HIV care, the intervention will help to build new social ties with potentially supportive life figures.

Group II: Individual Care CounselingActive Control1 Intervention

After completing the baseline survey, each participant will receive a 20-minute individual counseling session focused on HIV medical care. The session will convey that effective HIV treatment is now available at no cost, protects health, and that most individuals who are in treatment can lead long and healthy lives. Referral will be made and assistance provided in accessing LGBT-friendly HIV medical care, mental health, substance abuse, and other services.

0 / 6Eligibility criteria met