Combining Social Network Strategies and Routine Substance Use Screening
University of California, San Diego
Summary
This study aims to improve health care for people who may have HIV or substance use disorders by bringing two services to a large community health center in Chicago. First, the clinic will begin offering routine screening for substance use to all patients. Second, the study will offer a social network-based program that helps people identify friends or partners who may need support and link them to care. The goal is to help more people learn their HIV status, reduce HIV levels in the community, and connect people with substance use treatment when needed. The study will also look at how well these services can be added into everyday clinic practice and what is needed to keep them going over time.
Description
This project will take place in a network of federally qualified health centers that serves communities in Chicago that experience some of the highest rates of new HIV infections. The study has two main parts: Routine Substance Use Screening and a Social Network Intervention (SNI). Routine screening at the clinics will introduce a consistent, standardized way to ask patients about substance use during regular visits. Patients who screen positive will be offered help, referrals, and follow-up services. The social network intervention asks patients to think about people in their social network…
Eligibility
- Age range
- 18+ years
- Sex
- Male
- Healthy volunteers
- No
Inclusion Criteria: * Assigned male sex at birth * Has sex with men * Speaks English or Spanish Exclusion Criteria: * Institutionalized individuals * Women * Non-Hispanic whites
Interventions
- BehavioralSubstance use disorder screening
Implement a routine SUD screening at the FQHC.
- BehavioralSocial network intervention
Social network intervention (SNI) to identify individuals who are viremic, have SUD, or both and link them to harm reduction and HIV continuum of care services. There are three main activities that make up the SNI: 1) recruiting, screening, and interviewing "index participants"; 2) training the index participants to recruit others; 3) screening and interviewing persons who present a valid recruitment voucher given to them by an index participant.
Location
- Howard Brown HealthChicago, Illinois