Theory-based Text Messaging to Reduce Methamphetamine Use and HIV Risks Among MSM

June 16, 2017 updated by: Friends Research Institute, Inc.
Participants receive culturally relevant and specifically tailored text messages based on the behavioral change theoretical constructs of Social Support Theory, Health Belief Model, and Social Cognitive Theory. Participants are randomized into one of three conditions for an 8-week intervention period: Group 1: culturally relevant theory-based text messages interactively transmitted by peer health educators (TXT-PHE); or, Group 2: the same culturally relevant theory-based text messages transmitted by automation (TXT-Auto); or, Group 3: assessment-only (AO) control with no theoretically based text messages.

Study Overview

Detailed Description

The randomized three-group design uses repeated assessments at baseline, at the end of the 8-week intervention period, and at 3-, 6-, and 9-month post randomization follow-up. Participants in all three conditions receive brief weekly text-message assessments on their methamphetamine use and HIV sexual behaviors in the previous seven days. This study will determine the differential immediate and sustained effects of transmitting theory-based text messages by PHE (TXT-PHE) versus by automation (TXT-Auto), compared to an assessment-only (AO) control condition among out-of-treatment, methamphetamine-using MSM for reductions of methamphetamine use and HIV sexual risk behaviors. It is hypothesized that there will be significantly greater reductions in methamphetamine use and HIV sexual risk behaviors from text messages transmitted by PHE than by text messages transmitted by automation, which in turn will produce significantly greater reductions than the AO condition (PHE > TXT > AO). In addition, this study will determine the cost-effectiveness of TXT-PHE vs. TXT-Auto compared to AO for reducing methamphetamine use and HIV sexual risk behaviors. The investigators hypothesize that the TXT-PHE intervention will prove more cost-effective than TXT-Auto in reducing methamphetamine use and HIV sexual risk behaviors, while the TXT-Auto condition will prove more cost effective than the AO condition in reducing these same outcomes (PHE > TXT > AO).

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

286

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

    • California
      • Los Angeles, California, United States, 90028
        • Friends Community Center, a division of Friends Research Institute, Inc., Los Angeles, CA 90028

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

18 years to 65 years (Adult, Older Adult)

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Genders Eligible for Study

Male

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Self-identified MSM
  • Between the ages of 18 and 65 years
  • Methamphetamine use within the previous 3 months
  • Unprotected anal intercourse (insertive or receptive) with a non-primary male partner in the previous 6 months
  • Not currently in treatment or seeking methamphetamine abuse treatment
  • Able and willing to fully charge a cellular phone daily
  • Able and willing to provide informed consent
  • Able and willing to comply with study requirements

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Does not identify as a MSM
  • Not between the ages of 18 and 65 years
  • Has not used methamphetamine in the previous 3 months
  • Has not had unprotected anal intercourse (insertive or receptive) with a non-primary male partner in the previous 6 months
  • Currently in treatment or seeking methamphetamine abuse treatment
  • Unable or unwilling to fully charge a cellular phone daily
  • Unable or unwilling to provide informed consent
  • Unable or unwilling to comply with study requirements
  • Unable to understand the Informed Consent Form
  • Determined to have a more serious psychiatric condition (SCID verified) that is beyond the safe enrollment of study procedures

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: TXT-PHE

Gay-specific, Theory-based Text Messages Transmitted by Peer Health Educators (TXT-PHE)

This condition is interactive and tailored to the needs of the individual participant. PHEs initiate (i.e., "push") text messages to participants and also respond to participant-initiated queries and participant responses to the PHE messages (i.e., "pull").

Participants receive five pre-written messages per day sent on a predetermined schedule. Participants who respond to the pre-written text messages or initiate queries or requests for support ("pull") are sent additional real-time messages back from the PHE.

During the 8-week intervention, participants receive a brief weekly text-based assessment on their methamphetamine use and HIV sexual behaviors in the previous seven days.

Participants receive five gay-specific, theory-based pre-written messages per day sent on a predetermined schedule. Participants who respond to the pre-written text messages or initiate queries or requests for support ("pull") are sent additional real-time messages back from the PHE. Text messages are transmitted and responded to in real time, at the peak hours of high-risk activities. During the 8-week intervention, participants receive a brief weekly text-based assessment on their methamphetamine use and HIV sexual behaviors in the previous seven days.
Experimental: TXT-Auto

Group 2: Gay-specific, Theory-based Text Messages Transmitted by Automation (TXT-Auto)

Participants assigned to this group receive automatic text-messages.

Following the initial welcome message, participants receive five pre-written messages per day sent on a predetermined schedule.

During the 8-week intervention, participants receive a brief weekly text-based assessment on their methamphetamine use and HIV sexual behaviors in the previous seven days.

Participants receive five gay-specific, theory-based pre-written messages per day sent on a predetermined schedule. During the 8-week intervention, participants receive a brief weekly text-based assessment on their methamphetamine use and HIV sexual behaviors in the previous seven days.
No Intervention: Assessment Only (AO)
During the 8-week intervention, participants receive a brief weekly text-based assessment on their methamphetamine use and HIV sexual behaviors in the previous seven days.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Methamphetamine Use
Time Frame: 9-months post randomization
Self-reported and/or biomarker-confirmed methamphetamine use assessed at baseline and 9-month follow-up assessment.
9-months post randomization
HIV Sexual Risk Behavior
Time Frame: 9-months post randomization
Engagement in condomless anal intercourse was assessed at baseline and 9-month post-randomization follow-up.
9-months post randomization
Cost Effectiveness
Time Frame: up to 36 months
Cost-effectiveness data is collected quarterly throughout the course of the study using the UNAIDS template.
up to 36 months

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
HIV Primary Care
Time Frame: 8-weeks post randomization, 3-/6-/9-months post randomization
HIV-positive participants will be assessed according to their linkage/retention in HIV primary care and adherence to ART medication at 8-weeks, 3-, 6-, and 9-months post-randomization.
8-weeks post randomization, 3-/6-/9-months post randomization

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start

January 1, 2014

Primary Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2017

Study Completion (Actual)

January 1, 2017

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

December 3, 2013

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

December 10, 2013

First Posted (Estimate)

December 11, 2013

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

September 18, 2017

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

June 16, 2017

Last Verified

June 1, 2017

More Information

Terms related to this study

Other Study ID Numbers

  • R01DA035092 (U.S. NIH Grant/Contract)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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