Development and Evaluation of a Multi-Component Intervention to Support HIV Testing and Linkage to Services Among Men Who Have Sex With Men (MSM) in Perú (PROJECT MERCURY)

Status: Recruiting
Location: See all (2) locations...
Intervention Type: Other
Study Type: Interventional
Study Phase: Not Applicable
SUMMARY

This study is testing a new program designed to improve access to HIV testing and help connect people with available treatment or prevention services, based on their test result. The version of the program being tested in this study was designed for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Lima, Peru. The program has two main parts: 1) offering HIV testing at venues where people go for sex (called sex-on-premises venues or SOPVs), and 2) a text messaging app that shares useful information about HIV treatment/prevention; users can also message back to get support from a healthcare worker. Before doing this study, the researchers worked with community members and healthcare providers in the area to make sure that the HIV testing approach and mobile app were designed in a way that would be engaging and meet their needs. Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night during recruitment, the researchers will go to SOPVs popular among the MSM community in Lima and invite people to take an HIV test. On each recruitment date, they will offer one of the following HIV testing options: 1. A rapid HIV test done on-site (participants will get their result right away) 2. An HIV self-testing kit to take home 3. A coupon for a free HIV test at a participating health center 4. Their choice of any one of the previous three options Only one of these options will be offered at a time, depending on the date. The specific HIV testing option offered on each date will be randomly assigned. All participants will receive the mobile app, which will send weekly messages with links to different types of online content (infographics, maps, videos) over the next 3 months. The specific sequence of messages and content will be different depending on the type of HIV test the person received and their HIV test result, once it is known. The study will measure two main outcomes related to the acceptability and feasibility of the program: * The number and percentage of people who accept the program when offered * The number and percentage of participants who continue to engage with the mobile app after 3 months The study will also measure: * overall satisfaction with the app (based on a questionnaire sent at 3 months) * the number and percentage of participants who completed any form of HIV testing after 3 months * the number and percentage of participants who started HIV treatment (out of those with a positive HIV test) * the number and percentage of participants who started HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP (out of those with a negative HIV test) All follow-up will be done remotely. Participants will have the app for 3 months. After 3 months, they will get a follow-up questionnaire asking about their experiences with the program. The researchers will keep tracking results related to the HIV treatment/prevention services that people receive for up to 6 months.

Eligibility
Participation Requirements
Sex: Male
Minimum Age: 18
Healthy Volunteers: t
View:

• age ≥ 18 years

• identifies as gay, bisexual, or other man who has sex with men (MSM)

• attendance at the designated recruitment venue (SOPV) and is willing to receive the form HIV testing (i.e., intervention arm) offered on that recruitment date

• has a mobile phone device and service capable of two-way SMS text messaging via the WelTel platform and is willing to send/receive text messages using their primary mobile phone number

• able to read and write

Locations
Other Locations
Peru
Epicentro
RECRUITING
Lima
Via Libre
RECRUITING
Lima
Contact Information
Primary
Alexander J Lankowski, MD
alankows@fredhutch.org
510-626-0196‬
Backup
Ann C Duerr, MD PhD MPH
aduerr@fredhutch.org
206-667-7938
Time Frame
Start Date: 2025-06-12
Estimated Completion Date: 2026-03
Participants
Target number of participants: 150
Treatments
Active_comparator: Group 1 - Rapid Test
Participants will receive a rapid HIV test on-site at the time of enrollment.
Active_comparator: Group 2 - HIV Self-Test
Participants will be given an HIV self-test kit that they may use at the time and place of their choosing.
Active_comparator: Group 3 - Coupon
Participants will be given a coupon redeemable for a free future HIV test at a participating health center.
Active_comparator: Group 4 - Choice
Participants will be offered their choice of any one of the three HIV testing formats (rapid test, self-test, referral coupon).
Related Therapeutic Areas
Sponsors
Collaborators: Asociación Civil Via Libre, Peru, Epicentro, Peru, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Leads: Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

This content was sourced from clinicaltrials.gov