American University
The Camino Study evaluates a status-neutral, multi-level pilot intervention designed to improve HIV prevention and care engagement among Latin Americans with unmet HIV prevention and care needs. The intervention combines legal services with peer navigation to reduce fear of healthcare engagement, reduce stress, and improve access to HIV prevention and care services. The study will enroll 50 Latin American participants in the Washington, DC, and Oakland, California areas. Using a quasi-experimental wait-list control design, the study will compare HIV outcomes among participants who receive the Camino intervention with those on a rolling waitlist over 18 months. Primary outcomes include HIV testing within the past six months and uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), as well as HIV care visit attendance, antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence, and viral load among people living with HIV. The study will also examine legal, social, and mental health factors associated with HIV prevention and care engagement and assess the feasibility of testing the intervention at a larger scale.
Inclusion Criteria: * Age 18 years or older * Assigned male sex at birth * Identifies as a Latin American man who has sex with men, transgender woman, or nonbinary person on the feminine spectrum * Not a U.S. citizen * Speaks Spanish or English * Resides in the Washington, DC metropolitan area or San Francisco Bay Area * Willing to receive health and/or supportive services through participating study partners * Willing to allow the study to obtain relevant medical record information * Meets one of the following HIV prevention or care criteria: * Living with HIV and either not linked to HIV ca…
Camino is a multicomponent intervention designed to improve engagement in HIV prevention and care. Participants receive culturally and linguistically appropriate peer navigation beginning after enrollment to help identify and address barriers to HIV prevention and care and connect participants with relevant health and social services. The intervention also includes individualized consultation with an attorney and legal services and navigation. Because attorney availability varies, participants receive the individual legal consultation at different times during follow-up.