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HIV InfectionNCT02556294

Fostering Resilience to Psychosocial and HIV Risk in Indian MSM

A study testing Self-acceptance based intervention and HIV/STI counseling and testing in people with HIV Infection and Sexual Behavior, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 3 sites in 2 countries.

Completed

Finished. The study has ended and is not enrolling. Results may be posted on the official record.

Official record
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Trial summary

India has the world's third largest HIV epidemic and men who have sex with men (MSM) are an identified high risk group. MSM in India face unique psychosocial stress underlying the context of HIV risk. Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 years and older, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
Conditions the study is for
HIV Infection, Sexual Behavior, Health Behavior
What is being tested?
Self-acceptance based intervention and HIV/STI counseling and testing
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
608 participants
Where
3 sitesin 2 countries
Study dates
Jun 2015to Aug 2019
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
None posted in the registry

Key requirements

Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.

  • Ages 18 years and older
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult, Older adult

Who may be able to join

  • Participant has had anal sex with 4 or more male partners (protected or unprotected) in the past 4 months.
  • Participant has had condomless anal sex with a man who was HIV unknown or serodiscordant in the past 4 months.
  • Participant has a history of transactional sex activity in the past 4 months.
  • Participant has been given a diagnosis of an STI in the past 4 months.

Who cannot join

  • Participant does not identify as male
  • Younger than 18
  • Is unable to understand or consent to the procedures
  • Is deemed by the local PI or study staff to be engaging in deception about the inclusion/exclusion criteria.

Trial locations and contacts

3 sites in 2 countries.

3 sites in 2 countries

India2 sites
  • The National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis

    Chennai

  • The Humsafar Trust

    Mumbai

Other trials in India

United States1 site
  • Massachusetts General Hospital

    Boston, Massachusetts, 02114

Other trials in United States

About this study

India has the world's third largest HIV epidemic and men who have sex with men (MSM) are an identified high risk group. MSM in India face unique psychosocial stress underlying the context of HIV risk. To maximize the potential impact of an HIV prevention intervention, the purpose of this study is to test, in a two-arm randomized controlled efficacy trial, a behavioral intervention that addresses both psychosocial / contextual stress and reducing participant's risk for HIV.

Read the detailed description

India has the world's third largest HIV epidemic, and MSM in India have an estimated seroprevalence of 14.7%. Many HIV prevention efforts for MSM in India are limited to condom distribution and HIV education, with no existing efficacy trials of HIV prevention interventions and therefore no evidenced based HIV prevention interventions this population. MSM in India are hidden, stigmatized, and face considerable psychosocial stressors, including pressure to marry, which potentially increases the risk for HIV transmission to their wives.

This proposal is the culmination of our ongoing, successful > 10-year community based research collaboration with two NGOs dedicated to HIV prevention among MSM, Sahodaran (Chennai) and The Humsafar Trust (Mumbai), and investigators from the India Council of Medical Research (ICMR), National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis (NIRT) in Chennai. Our work, including extensive community advisory input, has identified self-acceptance as a key resilience variable that protects against both HIV risk and psychosocial distress. A field test and pilot randomized controlled trial of our behavioral intervention that addresses both HIV risk and self-acceptance showed high participant acceptability and feasibility of study procedures, and success reducing HIV sexual risk behavior.

The current study is a two-arm randomized controlled trial to reduce HIV, STI and sexual transmission risk compared to HIV/STI counseling and testing alone.

Being tested
Self-acceptance based intervention, HIV/STI counseling and testing
Keywords
HIV risk behavior
Medical subject headings
HIV Infections, Sexual Behavior, Health Behavior

What participants receive

What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.

  • Self-acceptance based interventionBehavioural

    The intervention will consist of HIV/STI counseling and testing as well as individual counseling sessions and group sessions. The primary focus of the group sessions are to help foster self-acceptance by the support from the group, as well as learn skills to reduce distress and HIV risk. The primary purpose of the individual sessions is to help develop and implement an individualized plan for HIV risk reduction, and, as needed and available, linkage to other services.

  • HIV/STI counseling and testingBehavioural

    The counseling component is standard of care in India and will focus on HIV/STI risk and how to minimize risk. This is followed by biological testing for HIV and STIs.

Study groups in NCT02556294
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Self-acceptance behavioral interventionExperimentalThe intervention will consist of individual and 4 group counseling sessions and 6 individual counseling sessions. The individual sessions are focused on specific individualized risk reduction plans, whereas the group sessions are focused on increasing self-acceptance and reducing HIV risk. Additionally, participants in this arm will receive HIV and STI counseling and testing.
Receives: Behavioral: Self-acceptance based intervention; Behavioral: HIV/STI counseling and testing
Comparison/ControlOtherThe comparison group will receive HIV and STI counseling and testing.
Receives: Behavioral: HIV/STI counseling and testing

What is being measured

The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.

  1. Changes in frequency of condomless sex

    Self-reported insertive or receptive anal sex without the use of a condom.

    Measured: 4 month visit, 8 month visit, 12, month visit

  2. Number of incident STIs from Baseline

    Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, and HIV

    Measured: 12 month visit

Secondary outcomes (2)
  1. Changes in Psychosocial Mediators

    Items will be used to measure potential psychosocial mediators (e.g. self-acceptance questionnaire, distress questionnaire) at each major visit.

    Measured: Measured at baseline, 4, 8, 12 month visits

  2. Cost-effectiveness of intervention

    To assess the incremental cost-effectiveness of the experimental versus the comparison condition.

    Measured: 12 months

Timeline

From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.

  1. First posted22 Sep 2015 (estimated)
  2. Study startJun 2015
  3. Primary completionAug 2019
  4. Study completionAug 2019

Resources

More details

For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.

Study design
Study type
Interventional
Phase
Phase N/A
Primary purpose
Prevention
Allocation
Randomised
Intervention model
Parallel groups
Masking
Single blind
Who is masked
Outcomes assessor
Enrolment
608 participants (actual)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT02556294
Sponsor's protocol ID
R01MH100627-01A1
Other IDs
R01MH100627-01A1
Status last verified
Oct 2019
First submitted
23 Apr 2015
Last updated
23 Oct 2019
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
Yes

Publications

  • Safren SA, Thomas B, Biello KB, Mayer KH, Rawat S, Dange A, Bedoya CA, Menon S, Anand V, Balu V, O'Cleirigh C, Klasko-Foster L, Baruah D, Swaminathan S, Mimiaga MJ. Strengthening resilience to reduce HIV risk in Indian MSM: a multicity, randomised, clinical efficacy trial. Lancet Glob Health. 2021 Apr;9(4):e446-e455. doi: 10.1016/S2214-109X(20)30547-7.

    PubMed 33740407
  • Mimiaga MJ, Thomas B, Mayer KH, Regenauer KS, Dange A, Andres Bedoya C, Rawat S, Balu V, O'Cleirigh C, Biello KB, Anand V, Swaminathan S, Safren SA. A randomized clinical efficacy trial of a psychosocial intervention to strengthen self-acceptance and reduce HIV risk for MSM in India: study protocol. BMC Public Health. 2018 Jul 18;18(1):890. doi: 10.1186/s12889-018-5838-2.

    PubMed 30021566

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Self-acceptance based intervention and HIV/STI counseling and testing in people with HIV Infection and Sexual Behavior, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 3 sites in 2 countries.

The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.

Who may be eligible to take part?

The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.

Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?

The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Oct 2019. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.

Where is the study taking place?

The record lists 3 sites in India, United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.

What are the possible benefits and risks?

They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.

Are results available for this study?

The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.

How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?

The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Changes in frequency of condomless sex (time frame: 4 month visit, 8 month visit, 12, month visit). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.

Where can I read the original study information?

On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT02556294, which also lists 2 linked publications.

Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?

No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.

How often is this information updated?

AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Oct 2019.

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