Making ART Work Among Brazilian Youth

Launched by BROWN UNIVERSITY · Sep 25, 2023

Keywords

ClinConnect Summary

This clinical trial, called "Making ART Work Among Brazilian Youth," is focused on helping young people aged 18 to 24 who are living with HIV in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, especially those who identify as gay, bisexual, or transgender. The goal of the study is to create a program that combines technology and counseling to support these young individuals in taking their HIV medications (called ART) more regularly. The program aims to provide social support, boost confidence in managing their health, and teach skills to overcome challenges that might prevent them from sticking to their treatment plan.

To join the study, participants must be between 18 and 24 years old, assigned male at birth, and identify as a gay or bisexual man or a transgender woman. They also need to have been diagnosed with HIV and have been taking their medication for at least three months. Participants should be missing doses of their medication or not achieving a good viral load, which means the amount of HIV in their blood is still high. They must also have access to a mobile phone since it will be part of the program. If eligible, participants can expect to receive personalized support and tools designed to help them stay on track with their treatment while connecting with others in similar situations.

Gender

MALE

Eligibility criteria

• Inclusion Criteria:
• • between 18 and 24 years of age
• • assigned male sex at birth
• • identify as a gay or bisexual man, or a transgender woman or another gender identity along the feminine spectrum
• • self-report living with HIV, and verified by medical chart review,
• • self-report currently taking or prescribed ART for \> 3 months
• • self-report missing 2 or more doses of ART medications in any given week in the past month OR not virally suppressed (i.e., \>40 copies/mL in past 3 months; via national outpatient data \[SISCEL\] or plasma viral load testing)
• • owns a cell phone or willing to use one as part of the study
• Exclusion Criteria:
• • unable to give informed consent due to cognitive limitation, severe mental/physical illness or intoxication
• • unable to read and/or write to an extent that would limit their ability to comprehend the informed consent
• • lived in the greater Rio de Janeiro area for \< 3 months or planning to move outside the area within the next year