Providing Online Counseling for Home-Based HIV Testing With Transgender Youth

University of Michigan200 enrolled

Overview

This research study will recruit 200 transgender youths between the ages of 15-24. There are two arms to the research study: the control and the intervention arm. Each eligible participant will be randomized into either arm. The control arm participants receive an OraQuick HIV testing kit sent to an address of their choice and instructions of how to conduct the test. They will enter their results on the research study website and complete surveys at 3 month intervals until an entire year has passed. Participants in the intervention arm will receive an OraQuick HIV testing kit sent to them and will receive video-based counseling called Motivational Interviewing and Certified Testing and Referral. After this counseling session, the results from the OraQuick HIV test will be logged by study staff. Then, participants in the intervention arm will fill out surveys at 3 month intervals until a year has passed.

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

SINGLE

Enrollment

200

Conditions

Hiv Transgender Youth

Interventions

Transgender youth in the control arm will receive test kits, but will not receive any testing intervention. Once individual results are reported, participants will be contacted via phone or email by study staff with options for referrals to services. Participants will complete follow-up surveys at 3, 6, 9, and 12 months post-testing.

Motivational Interviewing and Certified Testing and ReferralBEHAVIORAL

Transgender individuals randomized to the experimental group (MI/CTR) will receive HIV counseling and testing via an online, HIPPA-compliant videoconferencing service. The session will last less than one hour and focus on HIV testing, prevention strategies, and/or linkage to HIV care, depending on the individual's test results. Participants will complete follow up surveys at 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 15 YearsMax age: 24 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria: * male sex at birth, identifies as female, trans feminine, trans woman, female * female sex at birth, identifies as male, trans male, trans masculine, male * agender, genderfluid, genderqueer * between the ages of 15-24, * negative or unknown HIV status and not having tested in the least 3 months * willingness to have HIV test kit delivered to an address they provide * wilingness to be tested for HIV * willingness to be randomized to either study arm * willingness and ability to participate in video-based counseling (must have a computer or tablet with video and audio capabilities, internet access) Exclusion Criteria: * same sex assigned at birth and currently identifies as that same sex * aged 14 years or younger, or 25 years or older * reports having a positive HIV status during the baseline survey or screener survey before testing unwillingness to have HIV test kit delivered to an address they provide * unwillingness to test for HIV * unwillingness to be randomized * unwillingness or inability to participate in video-based counseling

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

Increase uptake of HIV testing for transgender youth

Assess differences and changes in TY's sexual-risk behaviors between those who receive the home-testing with video-based MI/CTR (intervention arm) compared to those who receive the home-testing alone (control arm). 200 TY (100 male: 100 female) will be randomized to either the intervention or control arm and followed for 6 months with surveys taken at baselines and months 3, 6, 9 and 12 months.

Time frame: 1 year

Secondary Outcomes

Changes in Sexual Behavior

We measure changes in sexual behavior using behavioral measures based on information collected from the baseline survey, MI/CTR session for the intervention arm participants, and subsequent surveys each 3 months until one year from the initial survey has occurred.

Time frame: 1 year.

Linkage to Care

We will measure linkage to care with the following outcomes as indicators per the recent recommendations of the Institute of Medicine and CDC: within 3 months of HIV diagnosis, attending at least one clinical care appointment, having at least one CD4 test performed and having at least one viral load test performed.