Targeting Non-virally Suppressed Adults With Alcohol Use Disorder in HIV Primary Care

Overview

The proposed pilot study is a randomized feasibility trial of technology-enhanced brief intervention for drinking reduction and antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence in 60 non-virally suppressed HIV participants who meet criteria for DSM-5 Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD) in a Primary Care clinic. Study sample will be recruited from a large urban HIV primary care clinic at Montefiore Hospital where the investigators previously successfully enrolled, randomized and treated study participants The interventions consist of brief meetings to discuss drinking and ART adherence enhanced with daily self-monitoring through the use of a smartphone application that tracks drinking and other aspects of health. These meetings will be based on the Clinician's Guide, a brief intervention for heavy drinking in primary care settings advocated by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Participants will be assessed at baseline, 30, 60, 90 days, and 6 months after baseline. By the end of treatment (60 days) and throughout the follow-up period, alcohol use is expected to highest among participants who receive the Clinician's Guide alone, and lowest among participants who receive the Clinician's Guide plus the smartphone application.

HIV infection is a widespread health problem in the U.S. Antiretroviral (ART) therapy has increased longevity and changed the nature of risk factors for morbidity and mortality. Alcohol consumption has become an increasingly serious health issue among HIV primary care patients. Drinking is a key factor in progression to severe liver damage (especially those co-infected with hepatitis), and liver disease is now one of the most common causes of death among those with HIV. Excess drinking is also associated with medication noncompliance, reduces the effect of antiretroviral treatment, and is linked to other health problems. Therefore, helping HIV patients reduce unsafe drinking is crucial to their long-term health. This study aims to evaluate an evidence-based approach, the Clinician Guide, when combined with an innovative smartphone application designed to help users track drinking and ART adherence and other aspects of health. An effective, easily implemented alcohol-reduction intervention could be incorporated into standard care in HIV clinics to help prevent or slow the progress of some medical problems in HIV-infected individuals, improve ART medication compliance, prolong lifespan and decrease risk behavior associated with alcohol use.