Youth Power Action Feasibility Study of Online Support Group Intervention Among Adolescents Living With HIV in Nigeria
Condition: HIV/AIDS; Adolescent Behavior; Medication Adherence; Health Behavior
MeSH terms: Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome; HIV Infections
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      This study will examine the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention designed to
      improve retention in HIV care services and improve anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence
      among adolescents ages 15-19 years living with HIV enrolled in ART services.
    

Detailed description: 
      Study aim is to examine the feasibility and acceptability of an intervention designed to
      improve retention in HIV care services and improve anti-retroviral therapy (ART) adherence
      among adolescents ages 15-19 years living with HIV enrolled in ART services.

      A single group, pre/posttest design including structured questionnaires with adolescents
      living with HIV. Additionally, we will abstract clinical data from the medical record system.
      We will also conduct in-depth interviews with a subset of participants, as well as health
      care staff who are engaged in the intervention, at endline.

      The objectives of this study are:

        1. To examine the feasibility of implementing a mobile/electronic health (m/eHealth)
           intervention designed to improve retention in HIV care services and ART adherence among
           ALHIV ages 15-19 years through an online support group (using Facebook).

        2. To assess acceptability of and engagement in the intervention by the target audience to
           inform improvements to the intervention.

        3. To gather preliminary data on the psycho-social and health-related outcomes that the
           intervention is designed to affect to inform an outcome evaluation study that will be
           conducted following the conclusion of the feasibility study.

        4. To collect information on recruitment, informed consent and data collection processes to
           inform the outcome evaluation study of the current intervention that will be conducted
           once findings from this feasibility study are incorporated into the intervention design.
    

Intervention name(s): Online support group
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): Participants will be enrolled to form five groups of 8 to 10 participants, and then participants will participate in the 6 sessions of the structured educational and group counseling curriculum through the online platform.
The m/eHealth intervention components include:
Informational messages that reflect the content of the structured group counseling curriculum, Positive Connections, and are posted to the group wall on a regular basis
Moderated, closed group chats where ALHIV can interact with their peers and with a trained health counselor on a biweekly basis
Access to a trained counselor via Facebook Messenger (during normal business hours) for the duration of the intervention who will be able to provide information or basic counseling on ART/HIV care related issues, with referral to health care services as needed
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: Single group pre/post design
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care