implementation of rapid hiv self-testing among msm project

Conditions: HIV/AIDS

Summary: this study will use online materials and strategies to recruit 3600 black and hispanic men who have sex with men (msm) and transgender women (tgw) to participate in a study evaluating the effectiveness of the know@home mobile app compared to control condition with respect to linkage of participants to appropriate services, as well as cost-effectiveness outcomes.

to evaluate the effectiveness of mailing out rapid hiv home-testing kits and additional testing promotion components among african-american or black and hispanic or latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (msm) and transgender women (tgw), the study "implementation of rapid hiv self-testing among msm project", known as istamp, is being conducted in 11 us states. this study is interested in the most cost-effective ways to recruit people at high risk for hiv infection. the researchers want to study a sample of 3600 adult msm and tgw who are not known to be living with hiv; 1800 black/african-american and 1800 hispanic/latino participants will be enrolled. all participants will be mailed two rapid hiv self-test kits upon randomization. all participants, regardless of study arm, will also complete a follow-up survey at the end of a 4-month follow-up period. at the end of the 4-month follow-up period, participants will be mailed a dried blood spot (dbs) collection kit for research purposes, as well as another rapid hiv self-test kit for immediate testing. participants in each of the arms will have access to videoconferencing-delivered prevention counseling, and all participants, regardless of assigned arm, will be contacted if they report seroconversion and/or a preliminary positive test during the study period for active linkage to care.

Eligibility criteria:
inclusion criteria for msm participants: * black/african-american race or hispanic/latino ethnicity * male sex at birth * currently identify as male * reported anal sex with at least one man in the past 12 months * aged 18 or over * has an android or apple mobile phone with currently active service * currently resides in a study state: north carolina, south carolina, georgia, alabama, mississippi, florida, louisiana, california, nevada, texas, new york * willing to download a study participation management mobile app * willing to provide valid contact information so that study hiv testing kits and other materials (condoms, lubricants, sti testing kits) can be mailed to participants. * successful completion of baseline survey exclusion criteria for msm participants: * currently participating in another hiv prevention research study or program * has a bleeding disorder preventing use of dried blood spot testing * has previously participated in an hiv vaccine study. * currently taking prep for hiv prevention * self-reports living with hiv * has plans to move out of a study state during the study period (4 months) inclusion criteria for tgw: * male sex at birth * currently identify as transgender woman or female * aged 18 or over * has an android or apple mobile smartphone with currently active service * currently resides in a study state: north carolina, south carolina, georgia, alabama, mississippi, florida, louisiana, california, nevada, texas, new york * willing to provide valid contact information so that study hiv testing kits and other materials (condoms, lubricants, sti testing kits) can be mailed to participants * successful completion of baseline survey exclusion criteria for tgw: * currently participating in another hiv prevention clinical trial or intervention * has a bleeding disorder preventing use of dried blood spot testing * has previously participated in an hiv vaccine study * currently taking prep for hiv prevention * self-reports living with hiv * has plans to move out of a study state during the study period (4 months)

Keywords: sexually transmitted infections behavioral intervention public health hiv preexposure prophylaxis (prep)