Community Health Workers And MHealth to ImProve Viral Suppression Plus (CHAMPS+)
Columbia University
Summary
Although global efforts have been made to end the HIV epidemic, there are still some gaps in HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and viral suppression (VS) among people with HIV (PWH). These gaps are particularly prominent in the Deep South of the United States (US), where PWH face challenges in accessing healthcare services. In response, a team of experienced researchers has developed and tested the Community Health Workers And MHealth to ImProve Viral Suppression (CHAMPS) intervention. This intervention uses mobile health (mHealth) technology and a team of community health workers (CHW) to design an intervention to improve ART adherence and VS. The CHAMPS+ intervention adds a CHW delivered supportive risk reduction counseling during periods of non-suppression to prevent HIV transmission. The study will engage the participants by developing culturally relevant materials and retention strategies, evaluating the clinical effectiveness and sustainability of the intervention in Deep South settings, and assessing regionalized implementation factors. Ultimately, the study will test the effectiveness of CHAMPS+ on ART adherence and viral load suppression for PWH in Alabama, Louisiana, and Mississippi.
Description
Despite efforts to achieve UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets, marked deficits remain in HIV testing, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and viral suppression (VS) among a growing number of persons with HIV (PWH). Gaps in HIV treatment success are particularly pronounced in the United States (US) Deep South. These suboptimal HIV health outcomes occur at a time when clinicians have limited time and the US healthcare system remains fragmented, further exacerbating the challenges inherent in the lives of underserved, marginalized groups, such as PWH. In this way, the development and evaluation of inter…