Social Network Support for HIV Care

Overseen By Yuri A Amirkhanian, PhD

Age: 18+

Sex: Male

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: Medical College of Wisconsin

Disqualifiers: HIV-negative, Adherent to ART, others

No Placebo Group All trial participants will receive the active study treatment (no placebo)

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: 9

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to assist HIV-positive men who have sex with men in St. Petersburg, Russia, in re-engaging with HIV medical care and maintaining their treatment. Participants will either receive individual counseling about HIV care or additional sessions to enhance social support for their health journey, known as Social Support Mobilization. The study will evaluate whether extra social support improves medical care attendance, medication adherence, and overall well-being. Men who haven't visited an HIV doctor in the last six months or are missing doses of their medication might be suitable candidates for this trial. As an unphased trial, this study provides a unique opportunity to contribute to research that could strengthen support systems for HIV care.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether you need to stop taking your current medications. It seems focused on social support and care engagement rather than medication changes.

What prior data suggests that this intervention is safe for participants?

Research shows that the social support component of the trial is generally safe. This method aims to build and strengthen social connections to enhance HIV care.

Although specific studies on the safety of social support mobilization are lacking, similar programs have not reported negative effects. These programs create supportive environments that are unlikely to cause harm. They facilitate connections and resource access, leading to better health outcomes without physical risks.

Since the trial does not test a new drug but rather a supportive approach, it focuses on increasing social support, which is typically well-received. Participants engage in sessions designed to strengthen community ties, which have historically been safe and beneficial. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

Researchers are excited about the Social Support Mobilization approach because it goes beyond traditional HIV treatment methods by actively engaging and strengthening a person's social network. Unlike standard care, which primarily focuses on medical interventions like antiretroviral therapy (ART), this method aims to enhance resilience and self-worth while helping participants build supportive relationships. By mobilizing social resources, it addresses the psychological and social aspects of living with HIV, potentially leading to improved health outcomes and quality of life for individuals who may feel isolated or lack support.

What evidence suggests that this trial's interventions could be effective for improving HIV care engagement?

Research has shown that social support can greatly improve how well people respond to HIV treatment. In this trial, participants in the Social Support Mobilization arm will engage in sessions designed to enhance social connections and support for HIV care. Studies have found that joining HIV support groups helps people keep the virus less active in their bodies. Other research indicates that more social support reduces the likelihood of stopping HIV treatment. Community and peer-led support services also lead to better health outcomes and longer lives for people with HIV. These findings suggest that building strong social connections is crucial for managing HIV effectively. Meanwhile, participants in the Individual Care Counseling arm will receive focused counseling on accessing HIV medical care and related services. ^{6 7 8 9 10}

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for HIV+ men over 18 who have sex with men, haven't visited an HIV care provider in the last 6 months or are less than 95% adherent to their ART medication. It's not for those under 18, not male at birth, HIV-negative or unknown status individuals, those already following treatment well, or participants of a prior pilot test.

Inclusion Criteria

reports being HIV-positive with no HIV medical care visit in the prior 6 months or adhering to <95% of ART medication in the past month

not a participant in the earlier pilot test of the intervention

I have had sexual relations with males in the last year.

Exclusion Criteria

I have not had sexual relations with males in the last year.

reports being HIV-positive with at least one HIV medical care visit in the prior 6 months or reports adherence to >95% of prescribed ART in the past month

reports being HIV-negative or unknown HIV status

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

1 visit (in-person)

Baseline Assessment

Participants complete baseline assessments including demographic information, health history, and a blood draw for viral load testing

1 day

1 visit (in-person)

Intervention

Participants attend five main intervention sessions and two booster sessions focusing on social support mobilization and resilience building

7 weeks

5 visits (in-person), 2 booster sessions

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment with assessments at 6 and 12 months post-intervention

12 months

2 visits (in-person)

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• Individual Care Counseling
• Social Support Mobilization

Trial Overview The study tests if adding social support mobilization (SSM) to individual care counseling (ICC) helps out-of-care HIV+ men engage better with medical care. Participants will attend sessions focused on resilience and developing supportive networks and will be assessed over a year to see if SSM improves attendance at medical appointments and overall health outcomes.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Social Support Mobilization Experimental Treatment 1 Intervention

In addition to the post-baseline 20-minute individual counseling session, each participant in this arm will attend five main intervention sessions and two booster sessions that have three inter-related objectives: (1) ensuring that participants understand that viral suppression through ART maintains health and protects others; (2) increasing resilience and feelings of self-worth; and (3) guiding participants in identifying, accessing, and mobilizing social resources for both general psychosocial support and also specific supports for HIV care. For individuals who have potential supports in their social environment, the intervention will seek to mobilize or increase the frequency and quality of interactions with them. For participants who are presently socially isolated or whose social resources are not supportive of HIV care, the intervention will help to build new social ties with potentially supportive life figures.

Group II: Individual Care Counseling Active Control 1 Intervention

After completing the baseline survey, each participant will receive a 20-minute individual counseling session focused on HIV medical care. The session will convey that effective HIV treatment is now available at no cost, protects health, and that most individuals who are in treatment can lead long and healthy lives. Referral will be made and assistance provided in accessing LGBT-friendly HIV medical care, mental health, substance abuse, and other services.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

Medical College of Wisconsin

Lead Sponsor

Trials

645

Recruited

1,180,000+

Published Research Related to This Trial

The Positive Links smartphone app facilitated social support among 55 participants living with HIV over 8 months, with 52% of analyzed posts providing support, primarily emotional in nature.

Participants reported feeling a sense of connection and support through the app, although some faced technical issues that hindered their full engagement, highlighting the app's potential to improve care for those unable to access in-person support.

NCBI (Pubmed)

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Social Support in a Virtual Community: Analysis of a Clinic-Affiliated Online Support Group for Persons Living with HIV/AIDS. Flickinger, TE., DeBolt, C., Waldman, AL., et al.[2018]

Citations

1. pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39616301/

HIV Support Group Care Utilization and its Effect on ... This study highlights that HIV support groups significantly boost viral suppression rates, underscoring the importance of integrating these ...

2. bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-023-17416-7

Determinants of social support and the influence on HIV ... We found that higher MOS-SSS scores, indicating more social support, were associated with a lower likelihood of HIV treatment interruptions.

3. thelancet.com thelancet.com/journals/lanhiv/article/PIIS2352-3018(22)00192-8/fulltext

A community mobilisation intervention to improve ... This cluster-randomised trial shows that community mobilisation, as a stand-alone intervention, can improve clinical outcomes, including HIV testing uptake, ...

4. journals.plos.org journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0252623

The effectiveness of peer-support for people living with HIV Overall, peer-support with routine medical care is superior to routine clinic follow-up in improving outcomes for people living with HIV.

5. publichealth.jmir.org publichealth.jmir.org/2023/1/e43635/

Peer-Led Community-Based Support Services and HIV ... The receipt of peer-led community-based support services correlated with significantly improved HIV treatment outcomes and survival among people living with ...

6. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4196137/

The impact of Community Mobilisation on HIV Prevention ... While community mobilisation (CM) is increasingly advocated for HIV prevention, its impact on measurable outcomes has not been established.

7. unaids.org unaids.org/en/resources/presscentre/featurestories/2025/february/20250218_us-funding-people-affected-hiv-community-groups

How the shift in US funding is threatening both the lives of ... On 20 January 2025 the United States announced a 90-day freeze on US foreign aid which has had a devastating impact on people living with and affected by HIV.

8. pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6443483/

Validity of Social Support Scales Utilized among HIV ... This systematic review aims to identify available validated social support scales used in HIV-infected and HIV-affected populations.

9. sciencedirect.com sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214109X14700324

Effect of community-based voluntary counselling and ... We investigated whether a multicomponent, multilevel social and behavioural prevention strategy could reduce HIV incidence, increase HIV testing, reduce HIV ...

10. cdc.gov cdc.gov/hivpartners/php/cdr/science-brief.html

Science Brief: Evidence That HIV Cluster and Outbreak ... Learn how cluster and outbreak detection and response strengthens HIV prevention and care services.