HIV TestingNCT06969677
Personalized Normative Feedback to Increase HIV Testing
A study testing Survey questionnaire in people with HIV Testing and HIV Stigma, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 1 site in Uganda.
Trial summary
Randomized trial to measure the effect of personalized normative feedback about local HIV testing rates and local rates of HIV-related stigma on self-reported HIV testing intentions and perceptions about others' HIV testing intentions. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 years and olderHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- HIV Testing, HIV Stigma
- What is being tested?
- Survey questionnaire
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 1,300 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUganda
- Study dates
- 2 Nov 2023to 31 Dec 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 18 years and older
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent
Who cannot join
- Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
- Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g. persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside of the parish
- Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Personalized Normative Feedback to Increase HIV Testing Among Adults in Rural Uganda
Randomized trial to measure the effect of personalized normative feedback about local HIV testing rates and local rates of HIV-related stigma on self-reported HIV testing intentions and perceptions about others' HIV testing intentions.
Read the detailed description
HIV testing is a vital step in identifying and treating HIV. Research in rural Uganda reveals underestimation of community HIV testing rates and overestimation of HIV-related stigma among adults. At the same time, perceived norms (i.e., estimated rates regardless of their accuracy) are associated with personal HIV testing behavior and personal HIV-related attitudes.
This study employs a randomized controlled trial to evaluate how providing accurate information about local descriptive (i.e., behavioral) norms and local injunctive (i.e., attitudinal) norms affect HIV testing intentions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of four treatment arms: (1) they are reminded of what they thought community testing rates were in their village and then receive accurate information about high community testing rates, (2) they are reminded of what they thought local stigma rates were in their village and then receive accurate information about positive community perceptions of persons with HIV, (3) they are reminded of what they thought community testing rates and local stigma rates were in their village and then receive both types of accurate normative information, or (4) they are reminded of what they thought community testing rates were in their village and receive no further information (control group).
The study assesses how providing this type of personalized normative feedback within cohort-based data collection affects personal reports about getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months and how it affects perceptions about how many men and women in the same village will get tested for HIV in the next 12 months. It is hypothesized that providing accurate information about local community testing rates and/or attitudes toward persons with HIV will increase reported personal willingness to get tested (primary outcome) and improve the accuracy of estimated community testing rates in the future (secondary outcome).
- Conditions
- HIV Testing, HIV Stigma
- Being tested
- Survey questionnaire
- Keywords
- HIV testing, HIV stigma
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Survey questionnaireOther
Each version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm.
This version does not provide any normative feedback information.
Survey questionnaireOther
Each version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm.
This version provides personalized normative feedback with descriptive norms information about local HIV testing rates.
Survey questionnaireOther
Each version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm.
This version provides personalized normative feedback with injunctive norms information about local HIV stigma rates.
Survey questionnaireOther
Each version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm.
This version provides personalized normative feedback with descriptive and injunctive norms information about both local HIV testing rates and local HIV stigma rates.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| V1: Control Group | Experimental | As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific prompts. The first prompt states the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. No other norms-based information is provided.
Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their village, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. Receives: Other: Survey questionnaire |
| V2: PNF - Descriptive norms only | Experimental | As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The second treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with the true rates of HIV testing among men and women in their village, along with information that these rate are consistent across demographic groups.
Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rates of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their village, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. Receives: Other: Survey questionnaire |
| V3: PNF - Injunctive norms only | Experimental | As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The third treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with information about the true rates of HIV stigma in their village.
Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their community, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. Receives: Other: Survey questionnaire |
| V4: PNF - Descriptive and injunctive norms | Experimental | As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The fourth treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with information about the true rates of both HIV testing and HIV stigma in their village.
Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their community, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. Receives: Other: Survey questionnaire |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Self-reported HIV testing intention in the next 12 months
Regarding yourself, how likely are you to go get tested for HIV in the next 12 months? (single item)
Measured: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)
Secondary outcomes (2)
Self-reported perception of HIV testing among men in one's village
How many of these men do you think will go get tested for HIV in the next 12 months? (single item)
Measured: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)
Self-reported perception of HIV testing among women in one's village
How many of these women do you think will go get tested for HIV in the next 12 months? Read all response options audibly, except for refuses/do not know.
(single item)
Measured: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 May 2025
- Study start2 Nov 2023
- Primary completion31 Dec 2024
- Study completion31 Dec 2024
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for HIV TestingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Massachusetts General HospitalThe 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
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Study participants are randomly assigned to be read prompts with personalized normative feedback information with slight changes in content.
- Masking
- Single blind
- Who is masked
- Participant
- Enrolment
- 1,300 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Massachusetts General Hospital
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Alexander Tsai, Massachusetts General Hospital
- Investigators
- Alexander C Tsai, MD, PhD, Principal investigator, Massachusetts General Hospital
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06969677
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2013P000395_4
- Other IDs
- R01MH125667
- Status last verified
- May 2026
- First submitted
- 5 May 2025
- Last updated
- 1 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 1 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Personalized Normative Feedback to Increase HIV Testing Among Adults in Rural Uganda
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06969677
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2013P000395_4
- Conditions
- HIV Testing, HIV Stigma
- Keywords
- HIV testing, HIV stigma
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 1,300 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Massachusetts General HospitalUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- Mbarara University of Science and Technology, National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 2 Nov 2023 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 31 Dec 2024 (actual)
- Study completion
- 31 Dec 2024 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 May 2025 (actual)
- 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.
Randomized trial to measure the effect of personalized normative feedback about local HIV testing rates and local rates of HIV-related stigma on self-reported HIV testing intentions and perceptions about others' HIV testing intentions.
Detailed description
HIV testing is a vital step in identifying and treating HIV. Research in rural Uganda reveals underestimation of community HIV testing rates and overestimation of HIV-related stigma among adults. At the same time, perceived norms (i.e., estimated rates regardless of their accuracy) are associated with personal HIV testing behavior and personal HIV-related attitudes.
This study employs a randomized controlled trial to evaluate how providing accurate information about local descriptive (i.e., behavioral) norms and local injunctive (i.e., attitudinal) norms affect HIV testing intentions. Participants are randomly assigned to one of four treatment arms: (1) they are reminded of what they thought community testing rates were in their village and then receive accurate information about high community testing rates, (2) they are reminded of what they thought local stigma rates were in their village and then receive accurate information about positive community perceptions of persons with HIV, (3) they are reminded of what they thought community testing rates and local stigma rates were in their village and then receive both types of accurate normative information, or (4) they are reminded of what they thought community testing rates were in their village and receive no further information (control group).
The study assesses how providing this type of personalized normative feedback within cohort-based data collection affects personal reports about getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months and how it affects perceptions about how many men and women in the same village will get tested for HIV in the next 12 months. It is hypothesized that providing accurate information about local community testing rates and/or attitudes toward persons with HIV will increase reported personal willingness to get tested (primary outcome) and improve the accuracy of estimated community testing rates in the future (secondary outcome).
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- Single blind (participant)
- Number of arms
- 4
- Model description
- Study participants are randomly assigned to be read prompts with personalized normative feedback information with slight changes in content.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| V1: Control Group | Experimental | Other: Survey questionnaireAs this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific prompts. The first prompt states the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. No other norms-based information is provided. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their village, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. |
| V2: PNF - Descriptive norms only | Experimental | Other: Survey questionnaireAs this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The second treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with the true rates of HIV testing among men and women in their village, along with information that these rate are consistent across demographic groups. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rates of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their village, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. |
| V3: PNF - Injunctive norms only | Experimental | Other: Survey questionnaireAs this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The third treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with information about the true rates of HIV stigma in their village. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their community, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. |
| V4: PNF - Descriptive and injunctive norms | Experimental | Other: Survey questionnaireAs this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The fourth treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with information about the true rates of both HIV testing and HIV stigma in their village. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their community, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 years and older
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent
Key exclusion criteria (3 listed)
- Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
- Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g. persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside of the parish
- Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Survey questionnaireEach version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm. This version does not provide any normative feedback information. | Other | V1: Control Group |
| Survey questionnaireEach version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm. This version provides personalized normative feedback with descriptive norms information about local HIV testing rates. | Other | V2: PNF - Descriptive norms only |
| Survey questionnaireEach version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm. This version provides personalized normative feedback with injunctive norms information about local HIV stigma rates. | Other | V3: PNF - Injunctive norms only |
| Survey questionnaireEach version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm. This version provides personalized normative feedback with descriptive and injunctive norms information about both local HIV testing rates and local HIV stigma rates. | Other | V4: PNF - Descriptive and injunctive norms |
Primary outcome
Self-reported HIV testing intention in the next 12 months
Time frame: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)
Regarding yourself, how likely are you to go get tested for HIV in the next 12 months? (single item)
2 secondary outcomes
Self-reported perception of HIV testing among men in one's village
Time frame: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)
Self-reported perception of HIV testing among women in one's village
Time frame: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)
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 1 Jun 2026.
- 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.
Alexander C Tsai, MD, PhD principal investigator
Massachusetts General Hospital
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Survey questionnaire in people with HIV Testing and HIV Stigma, run by Massachusetts General Hospital at 1 site in Uganda.
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 1 inclusion and 3 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 1 Jun 2026. 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 Uganda. 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?
Self-reported HIV testing intention in the next 12 months (time frame: Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)). 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 1 Jun 2026.