Using Social Media to Improve ART Retention and Treatment Outcomes Among YLHIV in Nigeria (Y-SMART)

FHI 360

Status: Terminated

Conditions: Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Treatments: Behavioral: SMART Connections

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03516318

1151489

Details and patient eligibility

About

A randomized control trial to test the effectiveness of a structured online support group, SMART (Social Media to improve ART Retention in Treatment) Connections, to improve retention in HIV care services among youth living with HIV (YLHIV) in Nigeria.

Full description

Study aim is to examine the effect of an online structured support group intervention (SMART Connections) designed to improve retention in HIV care services among youth ages 15-21 years living with HIV enrolled in ART services. A randomized control trial in which youth living with HIV (YLHIV) will be allocated to standard of care (control) or standard of care plus an online support group and followed for 12 months. Structured questionnaires will be administered to participants at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Clinical data will also be extracted on participants. In-depth interviews with a subset of participants and intervention implementers will be completed at the end of the intervention period. Although participants will be recruited from health facilities, the intervention is conducted "virtually," by trained facilitators, not within the health facilities.

Enrollment: 355 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 15 to 24 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• HIV positive and know their status
• Actively on ART for less than 12 months, including newly initiating patients
• Age 15 to 24 years
• Can demonstrate basic literacy necessary to participate in online chats

Exclusion criteria

• Unable to attend the initial intervention group meeting for treatment participants
• Currently enrolled in another research study related to HIV service retention or ART adherence
• Critically or severely ill requiring hospitalization or such that the individual is unable to provide informed consent at the time of study recruitment

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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355 participants in 2 patient groups

SMART Connections

Experimental group

Description:

The intervention components include: * Informational messages that reflect the content of the structured group counseling curriculum and are posted to the Facebook group wall on a regular basis for approximately 4 to 5 months * Moderated, closed group chats in a "secret" Facebook group where YLHIV can interact with their peers and with a trained support group facilitator * Access to a trained facilitator via Facebook Messenger for the duration of the intervention who will be able to provide information or basic counseling on ART/HIV care related issues, with referral to health care services as needed

Treatment:

Behavioral: SMART Connections

Control

No Intervention group

Description:

All study participants, in both study arms, will receive standard services currently available to YLHIV in these facilities and communities. The services currently include: routine clinical care for HIV treatment including laboratory testing (CD4, viral load tests); active case management by community volunteers with intensive adherence support during the first 4 weeks of ART; adherence support through phone calls and SMS (short messaging service) reminders; and enhanced adherence counseling for patients with unsuppressed viral loads.