LOTUS: An mHealth Intervention to Improve HIV Prevention Service Engagement Among People Who Use Drugs
University of California, San Diego
Summary
The goal of this single arm pre-post study is to assess the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of the LOTUS intervention to improve HIV prevention service engagement among people who use drugs. LOTUS is a technology-delivered intervention that provides HIV prevention informational content and tips, peer social support and social networking features, a resource locator, HIV prevention monitoring and reminders (e.g., reminders for HIV/STI testing and PrEP doses), and a virtual space to have questions answered by health care professionals.
Description
The LOTUS intervention is a technology-delivered intervention to improve HIV prevention service engagement for people who use drugs. LOTUS provides HIV prevention informational content and tips, peer social support and social networking features, a resource locator, HIV prevention monitoring and reminders (e.g., reminders for HIV/STI testing and PrEP doses), and a virtual space to have questions answered by health care professionals. Given the disproportionate HIV-related harms people who use drugs face, and critical need for HIV prevention mHealth interventions tailored to the unique needs of…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Female
- Healthy volunteers
- Yes
Inclusion Criteria: * 18 years of age or older * Report weekly or daily use of opioids and/or stimulants in the past 6 months * Meet current CDC eligibility criteria for PrEP * Report low levels of HIV prevention service engagement in the past 6 months * Not currently, or planning on becoming, pregnant during the study * Owns a smartphone with internet web-browsing capabilities Exclusion Criteria: * 17 years of age or younger * Does not report weekly or daily use of opioids and/or stimulants in the past 6 months * Does not meet current CDC eligibility criteria for PrEP * Report high levels…
Interventions
- BehavioralLOTUS mHealth Intervention Group
A mobile, WebApp-based intervention comprised of tips for HIV prevention, a community wall for peer interaction and support, HIV prevention monitoring and reminders, a virtual space to have questions answered by a healthcare professional, a resource database, and a personalized profile. Intervention components are designed to promote HIV prevention service use and improve social support, coping strategies, and positive affect.
Location
- University of California San DiegoLa Jolla, California