Improving the HIV Care Continuum for Youth in the Deep South Through Mobile Health Technology
University of South Carolina
Summary
Youth living with HIV (YLHIV) face barriers to engagement and retention in HIV care, show poor medication adherence, and often fail to achieve and maintain viral suppression. YLHIV in the southern United States have particularly poor care engagement outcomes. South Carolina is one of nine states identified as "key drivers" of the US HIV epidemic, and HIV rates for youth in South Carolina have risen in recent years. Tailored interventions are urgently needed to improve outcomes for this population. One promising approach is to reach YLHIV via mobile Health (mHealth) technology, yet few efforts have sought to tailor mHealth interventions to the needs of YLHIV in the southern US. Thus, the scientific objective of this study is to pilot test a new mHealth intervention, called MindBodyU, designed to increase engagement/retention in care and ART adherence among YLHIV in South Carolina. In this study, investigators will evaluate the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of the mHealth intervention with a six-month pilot trial with 40 YLHIV in South Carolina.
Description
In this study, investigators will conduct a brief pilot trial of the MindBodyU intervention--a digital health intervention that is delivered via a smartphone application ('app'). In the study, a total of 40 youth living with HIV (YLHIV) be provided with access to the MindBodyU app. Investigators will collect survey data from youth before youth install the app on their personal phone and again at 12-weeks and 6-months to assess feasibility and acceptability of the intervention, as well as preliminary outcomes (e.g., engagement/retention in care, adherence, viral suppression).
Eligibility
- Age range
- 16–25 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- No