Personalized Text Messages to Improve Antiretroviral Treatment (ART) Adherence in HIV+ Methamphetamine Users

Study Overview
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Brief Summary
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Methamphetamine (METH) is a debilitating and frequently abused substance that is often comorbid with HIV infection. HIV+ persons with current METH abuse or dependence (HIV+/METH+) have several characteristics, in addition to their substance use, that make them particularly susceptible to nonadherence to antiretroviral treatment (ART) including elevated rates of neurocognitive impairment, co-occurrence of psychiatric disorders, and unstable living situations. The investigators propose an intervention development study designed to address these potential mechanisms of nonadherence with the following Specific Aims: 1) To further develop and refine a personalized, automated, real-time, mobile phone, text messaging intervention (iTAB) designed to improve adherence to ART medications among HIV+/METH+ persons; 2) To evaluate the acceptability and effectiveness of a brief psychoeducation plus text messaging intervention (iTAB) as compared to psychoeducation alone (CTRL) for the improvement of objectively measured medication adherence among HIV+/METH+ persons; and 3) To examine predictors of within-person trajectories of nonadherence using the longitudinal data collected over the study. In order to realize these aims, the investigators will leverage the infrastructure of two unique UCSD resources increasing likelihood of study success, impact, and innovation: 1) the Translational Methamphetamine AIDS Research Center (TMARC), which is a NIDA-funded center that focuses on the combined effects of METH and HIV infection, and 2) the California Institute for Telecommunications and Information Technology (Calit2), which conducts research on state-of-the-art wireless means of health promotion. Initially, the investigators will refine the iTAB intervention to ensure that it is user-centered and tailored to the needs of HIV+/METH+ persons via focus groups and rapid prototyping. Once refined, the proposed iTAB intervention will use text messages that are automated, scalable, personalized, interactive, flexible, and motivating. The investigators will assess the acceptability and effectiveness of iTAB in improving objectively measured adherence (i.e., MEMS caps) over a 6-week period via a pilot RCT with 40 HIV+/METH+ assigned to the iTAB intervention and 20 HIV+/METH+ assigned to a psychoeducational control. Predictors of nonadherence including frequency of METH use, neuropsychological impairment, and mood will be examined to determine whether iTAB is better able to compensate for these factors associated with nonadherence as compared to CTRL. Further refinement to the iTAB intervention will be made in order to pursue a large-scale R01 using our tailored intervention.

Official Title
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Personalized Text Messages to Improve ART Adherence in HIV+ Methamphetamine Users

Conditions
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AIDS, HIV

Intervention / Treatment
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* Behavioral: individualized Texting for Adherence Building (iTAB)
* Behavioral: Psychoeducation


Participation Criteria
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Eligibility Criteria
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Inclusion/exclusion criteria are generally lenient in order to ensure that our sample is as representative as possible of the overall HIV+/METH+ population. Inclusion Criteria: Ability to provide informed consent 18 years or older at the time of enrollment HIV-infected DSM-IV diagnosis of methamphetamine abuse or dependence in the past 30 days Taking at least one medication to treat HIV illness Indication of less than 100% adherence to antiretroviral (ART) medication Willingness to use electronic monitoring caps to track ART medication Willingness to respond to text messages Exclusion Criteria: Axis I psychiatric diagnosis of psychotic disorder or mood disorder with psychotic features Presence of a neurological condition (beyond HIV infection) known to impact cognitive functioning (e.g., Huntington's Disease, Stroke) Unwillingness or inability to use electronic medication monitoring technology Unwillingness or inability to use daily text messaging

Ages Eligible for Study
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Minimum Age: 18 Years

Sexes Eligible for Study
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All

Accepts Healthy Volunteers
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No

Study Plan
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How is the study designed?
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Design Details

Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
Allocation: Randomized
Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
Masking: None (Open Label)


Arms and Interventions

| Participant Group/Arm | Intervention/Treatment |
| --- | --- |
| Experimental: Personalized Reminder Texting (iTAB) + Psychoeducation<br>Participants in the individualized Texting for Adherence Building (iTAB) arm will receive daily text messaging reminders for antiretroviral medication adherence. These text messages will be targeted to the specific schedule and needs of the individual. Participants will also receive a one-time psychoeducational intervention reviewing the importance of adherence to anti-HIV medications. | Behavioral: individualized Texting for Adherence Building (iTAB)<br>* Behavioral: Psychoeducation Participants will also receive daily text messages to evaluate mood and methamphetamine use, but these messages will not remind participants about medication adherence. Behavioral: individualized Texting for Adherence Building (iTAB) Intervention is designed to send automated text messages to HIV+ persons who are current methamphetamine (METH+) users. Text messages are personalized, automated, real-time text messages. The iTAB intervention is designed to improve adherence to ART medications among HIV+/METH+ persons above and beyond an active comparator group.<br>|
| Active Comparator: Psychoeducation (CTRL)<br>Participants will receive a one-time psychoeducational intervention reviewing the importance of adherence to anti-HIV medications. They will also receive daily text messages to evaluate mood and methamphetamine use, but these messages will not remind participants about medication adherence. | Behavioral: Psychoeducation<br>* Behavioral: Psychoeducation Participants will also receive daily text messages to evaluate mood and methamphetamine use, but these messages will not remind participants about medication adherence.<br>|

What is the study measuring?
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Primary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Overall MEMS Adherence to Antiretroviral Medication | Adherence was defined as the percentage of taken doses using Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS); i.e., [(# of bottle openings)/(# of prescribed doses)*100]. | 6 weeks | 
| MEMS Adherence to Antiretroviral Medication Based on Dose Timing | Adherence using Medication Event Monitoring Systems (MEMS) based on dose timing; i.e., [(# of bottle openings within a +/- 2-hour time window of the intended dosing time)/(# of prescribed doses)*100]. | 6 weeks | 

Secondary Outcome Measures

| Outcome Measure | Measure Description | Time Frame |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Text-reported METH Use | For each participant, we calculated the responsiveness to texts assessing METH use [i.e., (# of texts responded to)/(# of texts received)], and proportion of days a participants endorsed METH use [i.e., (# of days endorsing METH use)/(# of texts responded to)]. | Completion of 6-week intervention | 

 Terms related to the study
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Keywords Provided by Centre Hospitalier Valida
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drug abuse, interventions, technology, methamphetamine