Using MOST to Optimize an HIV Care Continuum Intervention for Vulnerable Populations

Study Summary

The present study targets the large population of persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in the U.S. who are both insufficiently engaged in HIV primary care and not taking antiretroviral therapy (ART), who are mainly African American/Black and Latino. NIH has emphasized the urgent need for new research approaches to advance intervention science, and the proposed project employs a new, potent, and innovative research methodology, the Multiphase Optimization STrategy (MOST), a framework for developing highly efficacious, efficient, scalable, and cost-effective interventions. The proposed study has the highest public health significance: it addresses a vulnerable population of PLHA, including the critically important subpopulations of men who have sex with men (MSM) and substance users; will develop an efficient and cost effective intervention to increase engagement along the HIV care continuum for these vulnerable groups; and addresses two areas highlighted in the August 2015 notice on research priorities from the NIH Office of AIDS Research (NOT-OD-15-137), namely, engaging PLHA in prevention/treatment services, and reducing HIV/AIDS-related racial/ethnic disparities.

Primary Outcome

Blood will be drawn and viral load will be assessed via laboratory report (Bioreference Lab, HIV-1,RNA,PCR,ULTRA). Participants will not have viral suppression at baseline. Change in viral suppression, that is, whether viral suppression has been achieved, will be coded as present if viral load levels are \< 20 ppml. Viral suppression will be assessed at both FU periods. Participants may achieve this primary endpoint, or not, at one or both FU periods.

Interventions

• BEHAVIORAL Heart to Heart2 (HTH2)