AzTrials
AzTrials

HIV InfectionsHMP KoreaNCT07741123

HealthMpowerment Korea: Pilot Testing the Cultural Adaptation of a Digital HIV Intervention for Men Who Have Sex With Men in South Korea

A study testing Bandi Mobile Application (Full Access) and Information-Only Mobile Application (Limited Access) in people with HIV Infections and HIV Prevention and Care, run by Seul Ki Choi at 1 site in South Korea.

Not yet recruiting

Opening soon. The study is approved but enrolment has not started yet. Sites may already take enquiries.

Sites and contacts
Official record
Search all trials

Trial summary

This study tests a mobile application (app) designed to support sexual health and prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among young men in South Korea. Researchers are interested to learn if the app is acceptable, easy to use, and helpful for young men who have sex with men (MSM). Read more about this study

Who is it for?
Ages 18 to 35 years, men onlyHealthy volunteers can take part
What is being tested?
Bandi Mobile Application (Full Access) and Information-Only Mobile Application (Limited Access)
Could I receive a placebo?
No, everyone receives an active treatment
How many people
50 participants
Where
1 siteSouth Korea
Study dates
1 Dec 2026to 30 Jun 2027
Phase
Interventional
Are there results?
Not yet: the study is under way

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 to 35 years
  • Men only
  • Healthy volunteers accepted
  • Adult

Who may be able to join

  • Male sex assigned at birth and current male gender identity
  • Aged 18 to 35 years
  • Current residence in the Seoul Metropolitan area
  • Korean nationality
  • Self-identify as a sexual minority (e.g., gay, bisexual, queer, or other non-heterosexual identity)
  • HIV-negative or HIV-unaware serostatus
  • Report at least 1 episode of condomless anal intercourse with a male partner in the prior 6 months

Who cannot join

  • Assigned female at birth or do not currently identify as male
  • Younger than 18 or older than 35 years of age
  • Non-residence in the Seoul Metropolitan area
  • Do not hold Korean nationality
  • Do not identify as a sexual minority
  • Known HIV-positive status
  • No reported episodes of condomless anal intercourse with a male partner in the prior 6 months

Trial locations and contacts

1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.

Willey Lin, MBIOT, PMP, ACRP-CP contact

669-333-9925

willey@nursing.upenn.edu

Seul Ki Choi, MPH, PhD contact

215-573-4734

skchoi@nursing.upenn.edu

South Korea1 site
  • Ewha Womans University

    Seoul

    Sook Jung Kang, PhD, FNP-C, 82-2-3277-2882, sookjungkang@ewha.ac.kr

    Sook Jung Kang, PhD, FNP-C

Other trials in South Korea

About this study

Official title: Pilot Testing the Cultural Adaptation of a Digital HIV Intervention for Men Who Have Sex With Men in South Korea

This study tests a mobile application (app) designed to support sexual health and prevent human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among young men in South Korea. Researchers are interested to learn if the app is acceptable, easy to use, and helpful for young men who have sex with men (MSM).

Participants will complete a 15-minute online survey at the start of the study and another 15-minute survey 3 months later. Participants will be randomly assigned to 1 of 2 study groups for 3 months:

Read more
  1. Intervention Group: Participants receive access to the full mobile app, called Bandi. The app includes health articles, quizzes, community discussion forums, a personal sexual health log, and a clinic finder.
  2. Control Group: Participants receive access to a basic version of the app that includes informational articles and the clinic finder only.

Researchers will compare both groups over 3 months to see if using the full app leads to higher rates of HIV testing and lower sexual risk behaviors.

Read the detailed description

This pilot study evaluates Bandi, a culturally adapted digital HIV prevention intervention for young Korean men who have sex with men (MSM). Bandi is adapted from HealthMpowerment (HMP 2.0), an evidence-informed, status-neutral digital health platform designated by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) for HIV risk reduction. Guided by Barrera and Castro's heuristic model for cultural adaptation, the trial represents Phase 3 (preliminary adaptation testing) following preliminary information gathering and beta testing (N=10).

Participants randomized to the full intervention arm receive 3-month access to the complete Bandi platform, consisting of five core integrated components:

  1. Resource Center (Activities \& Articles): Culturally tailored educational materials, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence strategies, interactive quizzes, and skill-building activities.
  2. Forums: Moderated online discussion forums and structured polls facilitating peer-to-peer support on topics including relationships, stigma, and sexual health.
  3. Love Log: An interactive self-monitoring tool allowing users to log past sexual encounters, plan future encounters, track behavioral patterns, and evaluate risk.
  4. Care Locator: A map database identifying local, culturally sensitive HIV and STI testing facilities.
  5. Gamification: Engagement features including customizable avatars and accomplishment badges.

The control arm receives access restricted to static health articles and the Care Locator component.

The study is conducted remotely in South Korea through a partnership between the University of Pennsylvania and Ewha Womans University. Local recruitment and participant communication are managed by trained staff at Ewha Womans University in collaboration with community stakeholder collectives.

In addition to self-reported web-based survey data (Qualtrics) collected at baseline and 3 months, application engagement will be continuously monitored via passively recorded paradata (e.g., module usage, login frequency, feature interactions). Statistical analyses will follow an intent-to-treat (ITT) approach. Chi-square/Fisher's Exact tests and Wilcoxon Two-Sample tests will evaluate preliminary differences between study arms regarding primary outcomes (routine HIV testing rates, reduction in condomless anal intercourse) and secondary outcomes (PrEP awareness/uptake, everyday discrimination, social support, depression, anxiety, and resilience).

Being tested
Bandi Mobile Application (Full Access), Information-Only Mobile Application (Limited Access)
Keywords
south korea, msm, mobile app, social stigma
Medical subject headings
HIV Infections, Risk Reduction Behavior, Social Stigma

What participants receive

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

  • Bandi Mobile Application (Full Access)Behavioural

    A culturally adapted digital HIV prevention mobile application designed for young men who have sex with men (MSM) in South Korea. Participants receive 3-month access to five core integrated features: interactive health articles and quizzes (covering PrEP, adherence, and sexual health); moderated peer community discussion forums and polls; Love Log (a sexual health tracking and planning tool); Care Locator (a directory of local HIV/STI testing centers); and gamification elements (customizable avatars and badges).

  • Information-Only Mobile Application (Limited Access)Behavioural

    A limited version of the mobile application provided to the control group over a 3-month period. Access is restricted to static online educational articles/resources and the Care Locator feature for finding local HIV/STI testing centers.

Study groups in NCT07741123
Study groupRoleWhat they receive
Bandi App (Full Access)ExperimentalParticipants in this arm receive full 3-month access to the complete Bandi mobile application. Key features include interactive health articles and quizzes, moderated peer community forums and polls, the Love Log (a sexual health self-monitoring tool), a HIV/STI care locator, and gamification elements (custom avatars and accomplishment badges).
Receives: Behavioral: Bandi Mobile Application (Full Access)
Information-Only App (Limited Access)Active comparatorParticipants in this arm receive 3-month access to a limited version of the mobile application. Features are restricted to static educational articles and a care locator.
Receives: Behavioral: Information-Only Mobile Application (Limited Access)

What is being measured

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

  1. Proportion of Participants Who Reported Receiving an HIV Test

    Self-reported status of receiving an HIV test (Yes/No) as assessed via a web-based survey.

    Measured: 3 months post-randomization

  2. Change in Frequency of Condomless Anal Intercourse (CAI)

    Self-reported number of condomless anal intercourse episodes with male partners in the prior 3 months, assessed via web-based survey.

    Measured: Baseline and 3 months post-randomization

Timeline

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

  1. First posted3 Aug 2026
  2. Study start1 Dec 2026 (estimated)
  3. Primary completion31 Mar 2027 (estimated)
  4. Study completion30 Jun 2027 (estimated)

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
None (open label)
Enrolment
50 participants (estimated)
IDs, dates and publications
ClinicalTrials.gov ID
NCT07741123
Sponsor's protocol ID
26-7236
Acronym
HMP Korea
Status last verified
Nov 2026
First submitted
28 Jul 2026
Last updated
6 Nov 2026
Results posted
No
Data monitoring committee
No
FDA-regulated drug
No
FDA-regulated device
No
Individual data sharing
No: To protect participant privacy under local and international regulations-including South Korea's Personal Information Protection Act (PIPA) and IRB protocols-individual participant data will not be publicly shared. The study involves sensitive sexual health data among a vulnerable population, and local regulatory restrictions prohibit the open release or cross-border sharing of raw individual participant records.

Publications

  • Bauermeister JA, Muessig KE, Flores DD, LeGrand S, Choi S, Dong W, Harper GW, Hightow-Weidman LB. Stigma Diminishes the Protective Effect of Social Support on Psychological Distress Among Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men. AIDS Educ Prev. 2018 Oct;30(5):406-418. doi: 10.1521/aeap.2018.30.5.406.

    PubMed 30332312
  • Yang HJ, Bang JH, Kim J, Lee YH, Park Y, Huh IS, Shin SM, Kang CR, Seong MH, Kim GD, Hong HS, Cho SI, Oh MD, Hwang ES, Lee JK. Factors associated with intention to be tested for HIV among men who have sex with men in a country with a very low HIV prevalence. AIDS Care. 2018 Mar;30(3):289-295. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2017.1371666. Epub 2017 Aug 31.

    PubMed 28859484
  • Sohn A, Cho B. Knowledge, Attitudes, and Sexual Behaviors in HIV/AIDS and Predictors Affecting Condom Use among Men Who Have Sex with Men in South Korea. Osong Public Health Res Perspect. 2012 Sep;3(3):156-64. doi: 10.1016/j.phrp.2012.07.001.

    PubMed 24159508
  • Muessig KE, Golinkoff JM, Hightow-Weidman LB, Rochelle AE, Mulawa MI, Hirshfield S, Rosengren AL, Aryal S, Buckner N, Wilson MS, Watson DL, Houang S, Bauermeister JA. Increasing HIV Testing and Viral Suppression via Stigma Reduction in a Social Networking Mobile Health Intervention Among Black and Latinx Young Men and Transgender Women Who Have Sex With Men (HealthMpowerment): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Dec 16;9(12):e24043. doi: 10.2196/24043.

    PubMed 33325838
  • Lee H, Park J, Choi B, Yi H, Kim SS. Association between Discrimination and Depressive Symptoms Among 2,162 Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Adults in South Korea: Does Community Connectedness Modify the Association? J Homosex. 2021 Jan 2;68(1):70-87. doi: 10.1080/00918369.2019.1624456. Epub 2019 Jun 13.

    PubMed 31194923
  • Baek YJ, Sung K, Park S, Lee EJ, Youm Y, Choi JY. Closing the Gap in Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Access for Sexual and Gender Minorities in South Korea: Implications for HIV Prevention Policy. AIDS Patient Care STDS. 2026 Jul;40(6-7):231-239. doi: 10.1177/10872914261450671. Epub 2026 May 18.

    PubMed 42145104
  • Choi SK, Golinkoff J, Lin WY, Hightow-Weidman L, Muessig K, Bauermeister J. Current and Future Perspectives of HIV Prevention Research Among Young Sexual Minority Men in South Korea. Arch Sex Behav. 2023 Feb;52(2):721-732. doi: 10.1007/s10508-022-02403-7. Epub 2022 Sep 12.

    PubMed 36097068

Questions about this trial

What is this clinical trial studying?

A study testing Bandi Mobile Application (Full Access) and Information-Only Mobile Application (Limited Access) in people with HIV Infections and HIV Prevention and Care, run by Seul Ki Choi at 1 site in South Korea.

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 7 inclusion and 7 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: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 6 Nov 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 South Korea. 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?

This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.

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

Contact Willey Lin, MBIOT, PMP, ACRP-CP (669-333-9925, willey@nursing.upenn.edu), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.

What does the primary outcome measure?

Proportion of Participants Who Reported Receiving an HIV Test (time frame: 3 months post-randomization). 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 NCT07741123, which also lists 7 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 6 Nov 2026.

Free account

Log in to keep searching

You’ve used your 3 free searches. AzTrials is free: log in or create a free account to keep searching clinical trials and save the ones you want to follow.

Create a free accountLog in