HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Intervention in the Northwest Territories

University of Toronto

Status: Completed

Conditions: Sexually Transmitted Diseases; HIV

Treatments: Behavioral: FOXY

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT02743026

CIHR-CBR-0000303157

Details and patient eligibility

About

Indigenous youth are disproportionately represented in new HIV infection rates in Canada. Limited studies have evaluated longitudinal effects of arts-based approaches to HIV prevention with youth. The authors present a rationale and study protocol for an arts-based HIV and sexually transmitted infections (STI) prevention intervention with Northern and Indigenous youth in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada. This is a multi-centre non-randomised cohort pilot study using a pre-test/post-test design with a 12-month follow-up. The target population is Northern and Indigenous youth in eighteen communities in the NWT. The aim is to recruit 150 youth using venue-based sampling at secondary schools. Participants will be involved in an arts-based intervention, Fostering Open eXpression among Youth (FOXY). Participants will complete a pre-test, post-test survey directly following the intervention, and a 12-month follow up.

Full description

Introduction: Indigenous youth are disproportionately represented in new HIV infection rates in Canada. Current and historical contexts of colonization and racism, disconnection from culture and land, as well as intergenerational trauma resulting from the legacy of residential schools are social drivers that elevate exposure to HIV among Indigenous peoples. Peer-education and arts-based interventions are increasingly used for HIV prevention with youth. Yet limited studies have evaluated longitudinal effects of arts-based approaches to HIV prevention with youth. The authors present a rationale and study protocol for an arts-based HIV prevention intervention with Northern and Indigenous youth in the Northwest Territories (NWT), Canada.

Methods & Analysis: This is a multi-centre non-randomised cohort pilot study using a pre-test/post-test design with a 12-month follow-up. The target population is Northern and Indigenous youth in eighteen communities in the NWT. The aim is to recruit 150 youth using venue-based sampling at secondary schools. Participants will be involved in an arts-based intervention, Fostering Open eXpression among Youth (FOXY). Participants will complete a pre-test, post-test survey directly following the intervention, and a 12-month follow up. The primary outcome is new or enhanced HIV knowledge, and secondary outcomes to include: new or enhanced STI knowledge, and increased self-esteem, resilience, empowerment, safer sex self-efficacy, and cultural connectedness. Mixed effects regression analyses will be conducted to evaluate pre- and post-test differences in outcome measurement scores.

Ethics and Dissemination: This study has received approval from the HIV Research Ethics Board at the University of Toronto (REB: 31602).

Enrollment: 199 patients

Sex: Female

Ages: 13 to 17 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• participating in FOXY
• self-identify as a woman
• live in the Northwest Territories
• between the ages of 13 and 16 years of age
• capable of providing informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• did not participate in FOXY
• not between 13-16 years old
• don't live in the Northwest Territories
• not capable of providing informed consent

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: N/A

Interventional model: Single Group Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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199 participants in 1 patient group

Intervention

Experimental group

Description:

participants will complete the FOXY intervention

Treatment:

Behavioral: FOXY