Stress Management for Cardiovascular Disease

Recruiting in Palo Alto (17 mi)

Age: 18+

Sex: Female

Travel: May Be Covered

Time Reimbursement: Varies

Trial Phase: Academic

Waitlist Available

Sponsor: University of Alabama at Birmingham

No Placebo Group

Trial Summary

What is the purpose of this trial?

Women living with HIV have 2-4x higher risk for cardiovascular disease compared to women without HIV, with women living with HIV in the Southern US being particularly at risk. While an increased prevalence of traditional risk factors (e.g., hypertension, diabetes, and obesity) partially explain this risk, evidence suggests that increased exposure to structural and social stressors (e.g., poverty, discrimination, and stigma) among women living with HIV in the South negatively contribute to cardiovascular disease disparities through their impact on stress. The Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program is an effective, evidence-based intervention proven to improve resiliency to environmental stressors and reduce the physiologic responses to stress which contribute to cardiovascular disease. While the SMART program has demonstrated efficacy in a wide range of populations and settings, it has not been designed for or tested among women living with HIV in the South, where unique cultural and faith-based context may diminish the uptake and value of the intervention to mitigate cardiovascular disease risk. The purpose of this study is to adapt the evidence-based SMART program in consideration of the needs and contexts of women living with HIV in the Southern US and pilot the adapted intervention to establish the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of the adapted intervention to reduce stress and mitigate cardiovascular disease risk among this population.

Eligibility Criteria

This trial is for women living with HIV in the Southern US, who are at higher risk for cardiovascular disease. It aims to help those dealing with stress-related health issues like high blood pressure and sleep apnea. Participants should be experiencing stressors such as poverty or discrimination that could impact their heart health.

Inclusion Criteria

I am a cisgender woman aged 18 or older.

English speaking

HIV-seropositive and a patient of the recruiting clinic

Exclusion Criteria

Not being willing or able to provide informed consent

Severe mental illness

I cannot or do not want to go to study visits.

Treatment Details

Interventions

Stress Management and Resiliency Training Program (Behavioral Intervention)

Trial OverviewThe study tests a Stress Management and Resiliency Training (SMART) program against usual care to see if it can improve resilience to stress and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease in women with HIV. The SMART program will be adapted to fit the cultural context of participants from the South.

Participant Groups

2Treatment groups

Experimental Treatment

Group I: InterventionExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Adapted Intervention, Previously Established

Group II: ControlExperimental Treatment1 Intervention

Usual Care