Social Media for ART Adherence and Retention in Adolescents and Young Adults: the Vijana-SMART Study
Condition: HIV-1-infection; Adherence, Medication; Depression
MeSH terms: Depression
Study type: Interventional

Summary: 
      The goal of this study is to investigate whether a virtual peer support group improves ART
      knowledge, adherence, and mental health in youth living with HIV in Kenya.
    

Detailed description: 
      Adolescents and young adults (AYA) living with HIV show lower ART adherence, higher loss to
      follow-up and higher AIDS-related mortality than other age groups. Innovative approaches are
      needed that address AYA's unique needs and improve their adherence and retention in HIV care.
      There is evidence that peer support and mobile messaging with healthcare workers (HCW) are
      two strategies that may be effective in this group, but their evaluation has been limited and
      no interventions have combined them. Since 2014, youth-run virtual support groups have
      spontaneously started at HIV clinics, using the mobile social media application WhatsApp.
      These groups present valuable case studies from which the proposed project will develop a
      structured social media intervention that combines peer and HCW support to improve ART
      adherence and retention, guided by the preferences of AYA. The SPECIFIC AIMS are to (1)
      Characterize the existing WhatsApp groups through in-depth interviews with members and
      detailed content analysis of the group's communications during a 6-week observation period.
      This will define the elements and features desired by AYA in a social media intervention. (2)
      Guided by findings from Aim 1, behavioral theory, and the study team's ongoing research on
      mobile messaging to improve ART adherence, to develop and refine structured content for a
      reproducible WhatsApp intervention that incorporates peer and HCW interaction. (3) Pilot the
      structured intervention for 6 months in another clinic and evaluate its impact on
      intermediate outcomes ART knowledge, depression and stigma.
    

Intervention name(s): Vijana-SMART
Intervention type(s): Behavioral
Intervention description(s): The Vijana-SMART intervention is a facilitated peer group, delivered through WhatsApp. Intervention messages were developed based on findings from formative interviews and social support theory, which posits that individuals experience social support through informational, instrumental, companionship and emotional forms. Groups will have approximately 25 members and will be facilitated by a study team member, by sending weekly scheduled messages, answering participant questions, and encouraging group discussion. Intervention messages were designed based on guidance from formative interviews; topics include ART adherence, medication side effects, nutritional practices, depression, social support, HIV status disclosure, stigma, positive prevention, substance use, and contraception.
Intervention model: Single Group Assignment
Intervention model description: Single-group pilot
Masking: None (Open Label)
Primary purpose: Supportive Care