Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeNCT02639754
Community Intervention for HIV Testing & Care Linkage Among Young MSM in Bulgaria
A study testing Social Network Leader Endorsement and HIV Counseling in people with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and HIV, run by Medical College of Wisconsin at 1 site in Bulgaria.
Trial summary
Young men who have sex with men (MSM) in low- and middle-income countries often do not seek out HIV testing, are unaware of their HIV-positive status, and do not receive early medical care, compromising their health and contributing to downstream disease incidence. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 16 to 20 years, men only
- Conditions the study is for
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV
- What is being tested?
- Social Network Leader Endorsement and HIV Counseling
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 320 participants
- Where
- 1 siteBulgaria
- Study dates
- Dec 2015to Jul 2024
- 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 16 to 20 years
- Men only
- No healthy volunteers
- Child, Adult
Who may be able to join
- Individuals must identify as male at birth;
- Individuals must report having sex with other males;
- Individuals will be between the ages of 16 and 20;
- Individuals must live in the greater Sofia metropolitan area;
- Individuals must be able to provide written informed consent.
Who cannot join
- Individuals who do not report they were male at birth;
- Individuals who do not report having sex with other males;
- Individuals younger than 16 or older than 20;
- Individuals who reside outside of the greater Sofia metropolitan area;
- Individuals who are unable to provide written informed consent.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Young men who have sex with men (MSM) in low- and middle-income countries often do not seek out HIV testing, are unaware of their HIV-positive status, and do not receive early medical care, compromising their health and contributing to downstream disease incidence. This situation is of great concern in post-socialist countries of Eastern Europe, where stigma about HIV/AIDS and same-sex behavior are great, HIV epidemics are still increasing, and the health needs of young MSM are rarely acknowledged or addressed. The planned research will be conducted in Sofia, Bulgaria, where MSM account for nearly half of HIV infections. The study will be conducted in two phases.
Read the detailed description
In an initial qualitative phase, the investigators will conduct in-depth interviews with MSM ages 16 to 20 and other key informants to gain an understanding of factors related to HIV testing. The project's second phase is a trial of a network intervention to increase regular HIV testing and care linkage among young MSM. The investigators' prior studies in Bulgaria have shown that young MSM are clustered with other young MSM in social networks. The intervention trial will recruit 54 small social networks of MSM, each consisting of a young MSM "seed" between age 16 and 20 and also all close MSM friends surrounding the seed. All participants will complete baseline measures assessing recent HIV testing practices and testing history; attitudes, intentions, perceived norms, barriers, and understanding about HIV testing and medical care; sexual risk practices; and substance use. All participants will receive HIV risk reduction counseling. Networks will then be randomized to comparison and intervention conditions. Influence leaders of each experimental condition network will be identified, and network leaders will together attend a 5-session intervention, which will train, guide, and engage leaders to deliver theory-based, personally-tailored advice and counseling to their network members to correct misconceptions about HIV testing and care; strengthen friends' norms, attitudes, intentions, and perceived benefits of regular testing; and address barriers to testing. All members of intervention and comparison condition networks will be re-assessed at 6- and 12-month followup to determine the intervention's effects on HIV testing, regular testing, and testing- and care-related scale measures. Participants diagnosed with HIV infection at any point will be linked to medical care.
- Conditions
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV
- Being tested
- Social Network Leader Endorsement, HIV Counseling
- Medical subject headings
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Social Network Leader EndorsementBehavioural
Leaders of social networks will attend a multi-session intervention during which they will be trained to deliver messages endorsing frequent HIV testing, compliance with medical guidelines, and adherence to medical treatment regimens to friends. Additionally, these leaders will be trained on how to deliver effective messages.
HIV CounselingBehavioural
At the baseline session, participants in this condition will receive counseling about the benefits and availability of HIV care and the importance of frequent HIV testing.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Social Network Leader Endorsement | Experimental | Leaders of social networks randomized to this arm will be trained to endorse frequent HIV testing, compliance with medical guidelines, and effective ways to communicate these concepts to social network members. Receives: Behavioral: Social Network Leader Endorsement |
| Routine Counseling | Active comparator | Members of social networks randomized to this arm will receive HIV counseling at baseline sessions. Receives: Behavioral: HIV Counseling |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Change in Frequency of HIV Testing
Change in the number of HIV tests completed within the 6 months prior to baseline will be compared with the number of HIV tests completed 0-6 months post-intervention and 7-12 months post-intervention
Measured: 6 months; 12 months
Secondary outcomes (1)
Change in Medical Appointment Keeping
Changes in the number of medical appointments scheduled and kept relative to baseline will be compared at 6 and 12 months post-intervention
Measured: 6 months; 12 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted24 Dec 2015 (estimated)
- Study startDec 2015
- Primary completionNov 2020
- Study completionJul 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Medical College of WisconsinThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
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
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 320 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Medical College of Wisconsin
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Jeffrey Kelly, Medical College of Wisconsin
- Investigators
- Jeffrey A. Kelly, PhD, Principal investigator, Medical College of Wisconsin
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02639754
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- PRO00024824
- Other IDs
- R01HD085833
- Status last verified
- Feb 2025
- First submitted
- 21 Dec 2015
- Last updated
- 19 Feb 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 19 Feb 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Community Intervention for HIV Testing & Care Linkage Among Young MSM in Bulgaria
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT02639754
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- PRO00024824
- Conditions
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome, HIV
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 320 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Medical College of WisconsinUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)
- Study start
- Dec 2015
- Primary completion
- Nov 2020 (actual)
- Study completion
- Jul 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 24 Dec 2015 (estimated)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
Young men who have sex with men (MSM) in low- and middle-income countries often do not seek out HIV testing, are unaware of their HIV-positive status, and do not receive early medical care, compromising their health and contributing to downstream disease incidence. This situation is of great concern in post-socialist countries of Eastern Europe, where stigma about HIV/AIDS and same-sex behavior are great, HIV epidemics are still increasing, and the health needs of young MSM are rarely acknowledged or addressed. The planned research will be conducted in Sofia, Bulgaria, where MSM account for nearly half of HIV infections. The study will be conducted in two phases.
Detailed description
In an initial qualitative phase, the investigators will conduct in-depth interviews with MSM ages 16 to 20 and other key informants to gain an understanding of factors related to HIV testing. The project's second phase is a trial of a network intervention to increase regular HIV testing and care linkage among young MSM. The investigators' prior studies in Bulgaria have shown that young MSM are clustered with other young MSM in social networks. The intervention trial will recruit 54 small social networks of MSM, each consisting of a young MSM "seed" between age 16 and 20 and also all close MSM friends surrounding the seed. All participants will complete baseline measures assessing recent HIV testing practices and testing history; attitudes, intentions, perceived norms, barriers, and understanding about HIV testing and medical care; sexual risk practices; and substance use. All participants will receive HIV risk reduction counseling. Networks will then be randomized to comparison and intervention conditions. Influence leaders of each experimental condition network will be identified, and network leaders will together attend a 5-session intervention, which will train, guide, and engage leaders to deliver theory-based, personally-tailored advice and counseling to their network members to correct misconceptions about HIV testing and care; strengthen friends' norms, attitudes, intentions, and perceived benefits of regular testing; and address barriers to testing. All members of intervention and comparison condition networks will be re-assessed at 6- and 12-month followup to determine the intervention's effects on HIV testing, regular testing, and testing- and care-related scale measures. Participants diagnosed with HIV infection at any point will be linked to medical care.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Health services research
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Social Network Leader Endorsement | Experimental | Behavioral: Social Network Leader EndorsementLeaders of social networks randomized to this arm will be trained to endorse frequent HIV testing, compliance with medical guidelines, and effective ways to communicate these concepts to social network members. |
| Routine Counseling | Active comparator | Behavioral: HIV CounselingMembers of social networks randomized to this arm will receive HIV counseling at baseline sessions. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 16 to 20 years
- Sex
- Male only
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Child, Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Individuals must identify as male at birth;
- Individuals must report having sex with other males;
- Individuals will be between the ages of 16 and 20;
- Individuals must live in the greater Sofia metropolitan area;
- Individuals must be able to provide written informed consent.
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Individuals who do not report they were male at birth;
- Individuals who do not report having sex with other males;
- Individuals younger than 16 or older than 20;
- Individuals who reside outside of the greater Sofia metropolitan area;
- Individuals who are unable to provide written informed consent.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Social Network Leader EndorsementLeaders of social networks will attend a multi-session intervention during which they will be trained to deliver messages endorsing frequent HIV testing, compliance with medical guidelines, and adherence to medical treatment regimens to friends. Additionally, these leaders will be trained on how to deliver effective messages. | Behavioural | Social Network Leader Endorsement |
| HIV CounselingAt the baseline session, participants in this condition will receive counseling about the benefits and availability of HIV care and the importance of frequent HIV testing. | Behavioural | Routine Counseling |
Primary outcome
Change in Frequency of HIV Testing
Time frame: 6 months; 12 months
Change in the number of HIV tests completed within the 6 months prior to baseline will be compared with the number of HIV tests completed 0-6 months post-intervention and 7-12 months post-intervention
1 secondary outcome
Change in Medical Appointment Keeping
Time frame: 6 months; 12 months
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 19 Feb 2025.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
Jeffrey A. Kelly, PhD principal investigator
Medical College of Wisconsin
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Social Network Leader Endorsement and HIV Counseling in people with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome and HIV, run by Medical College of Wisconsin at 1 site in Bulgaria.
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 5 inclusion and 5 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 19 Feb 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Bulgaria. 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?
Change in Frequency of HIV Testing (time frame: 6 months; 12 months). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
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 19 Feb 2025; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 6 Nov 2026.