Zambia Healthy Choices Project for Emerging Adults Living With HIV

Summary

This project will develop and implement a multi-component intervention using mobile health technology to improve HIV self-management and reduce substance use. Specifically, the investigators will adapt Healthy Choices (HC) to develop mobile HC (mHC) and develop Motivational text messaging (MTM) for Zambian emerging adults living with HIV.

Conditions

• Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis

Interventions

BEHAVIORAL

Mobile Healthy Choices (mHC)

mHC is a four-session computer-delivered intervention based on the Information-Motivation-Behavioral (IMB) model and socioecological model (SEM). Using motivational interviewing, it tailors content to participants' responses. Sessions 1 and 2 focus on HIV self-management and alcohol reduction, gauging importance, confidence, and goals. Strengths, barriers, resources, and strategies are explored. Sessions 3 and 4 review goals, reinforce importance, confidence, and motivation, and strategize behavior maintenance. Over two months, participants engage in goal-oriented sessions, promoting sustained behavior change.

BEHAVIORAL

Motivational Text Messaging (MTM)

Text messages with motivational statements will be sent to participants based on their readiness to change, as assessed during mHC session 1. The statements promoting HIV self-management and alcohol use reduction will be derived from an MTM library written by Zambian young people living with HIV. MTM will be delivered to participants daily for two months and weekly for an additional four months at a time that a participant prefers.

BEHAVIORAL

Standard ART Counseling

All participants will receive one-on-one, face-to-face in clinic. Standard ART counseling includes the management and treatment of HIV, reproductive health, substance abuse, and mental health. They will also be counseled about treatment adherence and side-effect management.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

  collaborator NIH

• University of Zambia

  collaborator OTHER

• University of Massachusetts, Worcester

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Bo Wang, PhD · University of Massachusetts, Worcester

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

NONE

Model

FACTORIAL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

24 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2024-04-20

Primary Completion

2026-06-30

Completion

2026-07-31

Countries

• Zambia

Study Locations