Evaluating the Effect of a Novel Web-based Intervention to Increase HIV Testing in Men Who Have Sex With Men (TuNexo)

Universidad Peruana Cayetano Heredia

Status: Completed

Conditions: HIV Testing

Treatments: Behavioral: Standard online message with an invitation for free HIV testing similar in content to other Peruvian websites; Behavioral: Online HIV testing motivational videos and messages sent via mobile-phone text messaging, e-mail or instant messaging

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other; NIH

Identifiers

NCT01760057

R01TW008398

Details and patient eligibility

About

The proposed study is designed to develop and test the effectiveness of a novel web-based HIV intervention to motivate HIV testing among men who have sex with men (MSM). The intervention arm includes the delivery of videos tailored to the reasons MSM have for not getting tested for HIV, as well as HIV testing motivational messages sent via mobile-phone text messaging, e-mail or instant messaging. The intervention and assessments will be guided by the Information-Motivation-Behavioral skills model, the Health Belief Model and the Stages of Change theory. The control intervention will be a health promotion message (similar in content to other Peruvian websites) with an invitation for free HIV testing. Testing will be offered at the Via Libre and Epicentro clinic, and at a mobile unit whose location will be determined based on participants' demand. The outcomes evaluated will be intention to get tested and actual HIV testing among MSM of each of the trial arms.

Enrollment: 400 patients

Sex: Male

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• be 18 years of age or older,
• be a man and report having had sex with a man within the last 12 months,
• be a resident of metropolitan Lima, Peru,
• have not been tested for HIV within the last 12 months,
• have a valid e-mail address,
• do not report being HIV positive.

Exclusion criteria

• Do not meet the inclusion criteria specified above

Trial design

Primary purpose: Screening

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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400 participants in 2 patient groups, including a placebo group

Health promotion message

Placebo Comparator group

Description:

Standard online message with an invitation for free HIV testing similar in content to other Peruvian websites

Treatment:

Behavioral: Standard online message with an invitation for free HIV testing similar in content to other Peruvian websites

Combined Web-based HIV intervention

Experimental group

Description:

Online HIV testing motivational videos and messages sent via mobile-phone text messaging, e-mail or instant messaging

Treatment:

Behavioral: Online HIV testing motivational videos and messages sent via mobile-phone text messaging, e-mail or instant messaging