International Social Network Intervention

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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This grant involves 24 social networks of young men who have sex with men, Roma, and young high-risk heterosexual adult men and women living in Hungary, Bulgaria and Russia.

Detailed Description
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For over 4 years, our international collaborative research team has carried out a social network HIV prevention intervention trial with community populations of young men who have sex with men (YMSM), disadvantaged ethnic minority Roma (Gypsies), and high-risk heterosexual adult (YHA) women and men in Hungary, Bulgaria and Russia. Eastern Europe has seen a sharp increase in HIV incidence, and social network interventions are high in cultural relevance because post-communist populations have a long history of trusting and relying upon their personal networks more than their governments. Across the three countries represented in our research during the past funding period, we enrolled social networks of YMSM, Roma, and YHAs. This study will renew our international collaboration to extend this network intervention approach. Our study, to date, has worked with very small independent friendship groups (usually composed of 5-6 people) as egocentric social networks.

Official Title
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HIV Prevention Within High-Risk Social Networks

Conditions
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Behavior

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: YMSM
* Behavioral: YHA
* Behavioral: ROMA


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion Criteria:Members of a friendship group will be eligible for enrollment if they are of legal age to independently consent to participate in this study. In its review and approval of this protocol, the IRB at BotkinHospital, St. Petersburg, Russia verified and confirmed in writing to us that the age of research participation consent is 15. In its review and approval of this protocol, the IRB at the Health and Social Development Foundation determined that the age of research participation consent in Bulgaria is 16. In Hungary, the IRB at the Institute of Sociology at the Hungarian Academy of Sciences determined that the age of independent consent to participate in this study is 14. - Exclusion Criteria:Individuals will be excluded from enrollment into the study if they are below the age for providing independent consent or are not capable of providing informed consent based on impairment due to the presence of sever psychopatology, substance use, or similar conditions observed at the time of informed consent. Social networks will be excluded from the study if: (1) more than 33% of named network members do not agree to participate; (2) fewer than 50% of members report occurrence of unprotected intercourse during the past 3 months at baseline; or (3) more than 10% of a network's members are also members of another network enrolled in the study. -

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 14 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Prevention
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: YMSM<br>Young Men Who Have Sex with Men | Behavioral: YMSM<br>* Leaders of networks in the experimental condition will participate in a 9-session intervention training program that will inspire and assist leaders to communicate HIV prevention risk reduction messages with their immediate friends. The first five sessions will focus on HIV risk predictors including HIV/AIDS knowledge, safer sex peer norms, condom attitudes, condom use intentions, and self-efficacy in remaining safe. The remaining four sessions will reinforce the leaders for continuing their HIV prevention communications and remind them of the topics during the main sessions.<br>|
| Experimental: YHA<br>Young Heterosexual Adults | Behavioral: YHA<br>* Leaders of networks in the experimental condition will participate in a 9-session intervention training program that will inspire and assist leaders to communicate HIV prevention risk reduction messages with their immediate friends. The first five sessions will focus on HIV risk predictors including HIV/AIDS knowledge, safer sex peer norms, condom attitudes, condom use intentions, and self-efficacy in remaining safe. The remaining four sessions will reinforce the leaders for continuing their HIV prevention communications and remind them of the topics during the main sessions.<br>|
| Experimental: ROMA<br>Gypsies (Bulgarian) | Behavioral: ROMA<br>* Leaders of networks in the experimental condition will participate in a 9-session intervention training program that will inspire and assist leaders to communicate HIV prevention risk reduction messages with their immediate friends. The first five sessions will focus on HIV risk predictors including HIV/AIDS knowledge, safer sex peer norms, condom attitudes, condom use intentions, and self-efficacy in remaining safe. The remaining four sessions will reinforce the leaders for continuing their HIV prevention communications and remind them of the topics during the main sessions.<br>|
| No Intervention: Control<br>All study participants (including those in control condition networks) receive HIV/AIDS/STD risk reduction counseling at baseline, as well as testing and treatment or treatment referral for STDs and HIV infection. STD/HIV testing and treatment or treatment referral are provided at each followup point. This constitutes the control intervention. | |

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Target effect of at least 30% consistent condom use among the experimental intervention group at 15-month followup. |  | August 2015 | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 15-month cumulative STD incidence rate of 20% among the control group compared 10% or less among the experimental group. |  | August 2015 |