Development and Testing of a Smartphone Application to Reduce Substance Use and Sexual Risk Among Homeless Young Adults
Condition: Alcohol Use; Marijuana Use; Sexual Behavior
MeSH terms: Marijuana Use
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      A pilot trial (N=60) will be conducted to test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness
      of OnTrack (a smartphone application to self-monitor substance use and sexual behaviors among
      homeless young adults) plus a brief motivational intervention (BMI), in comparison to
      treatment as usual (TAU) at Covenant House New York (CHNY) for those with substance abuse
      problems and who engage in risky sex. Following referral, screening, and eligibility
      determination, 60 participants will complete informed consent and be randomly assigned to one
      of two conditions: 1) TAU or 2) OnTrack + BMI. All participants will be assessed at baseline,
      2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after baseline to evaluate alcohol consumption, marijuana use,
      HIV sexual risk behaviors, and other relevant variables.
    

Detailed description: 
      Homeless young adults have high rates of substance abuse and HIV infection and, therefore,
      developing effective, acceptable, and sustainable interventions to reduce their substance
      abuse and sexual risk behaviors is of high public health significance.

      HealthCall for Smartphone (HealthCall-S) is a smartphone application originally designed for
      self-monitoring of alcohol use and other HIV-related health behaviors, and receiving
      personalized feedback on these behaviors among urban substance-abusing HIV primary care
      patients. Building upon prior HealthCall-S studies, individual qualitative interviews were
      conducted with 10 homeless young adults (age 18-21 years) at Covenant House New York (CHNY),
      the largest provider of crisis shelter and services for homeless young adults (age 18-21
      years) in NYC. The purpose of the individual interviews was to obtain reactions to various
      aspects of HealthCall-S and determine how it could be adapted to better suit the needs and
      interests of homeless young adults. HealthCall-S has since been adapted to target alcohol
      use, marijuana use, and sexual risk behaviors among homeless young adults and renamed
      'OnTrack.' A pilot trial (N=60) will be conducted to test the feasibility and preliminary
      effectiveness of OnTrack plus a brief motivational intervention (BMI), in comparison to
      treatment as usual (TAU) at CHNY for those with substance abuse problems and who engage in
      risky sex. Following referral, screening, and eligibility determination, 60 participants will
      complete informed consent and be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: 1) TAU or 2)
      OnTrack + BMI. All participants will be assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks
      after baseline to evaluate alcohol consumption, marijuana use, HIV sexual risk behaviors, and
      other relevant variables.
    

Intervention name(s): OnTrack; Treatment as Usual; Brief Motivational Interviewing
Intervention type(s): Behavioral; Behavioral; Behavioral
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Treatment