HIV Treatment Retention Interventions for Women Living With HIV (Siyaphambili Study)

NCT ID: NCT03500172

Last Updated: 2026-01-14

Study Results

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Basic Information

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Recruitment Status

COMPLETED

Clinical Phase

NA

Total Enrollment

1391 participants

Study Classification

INTERVENTIONAL

Study Start Date

2018-06-22

Study Completion Date

2022-01-05

Brief Summary

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The Siyaphambili Study is a sequential multistage adaptive randomized trial (SMART) to compare the effectiveness and durability of two behavioral interventions on the HIV-1 virologic response among female sex workers (FSW) living with HIV in Durban, South Africa. The interventions are: 1) nurse-led decentralized treatment program (DTP) and 2) individualized case management (ICM). Viral suppression is defined as a viral load assessment \<50 RNA copies/mL. The design will also estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of study interventions and combinations of interventions compared with maintaining the South African standard of HIV care and treatment.

Detailed Description

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RATIONALE: Approximately 60% of the estimated 121,000 - 167,000 female sex workers (FSW) in South Africa are living with HIV. Research suggests only 39% of these women are currently on antiretroviral therapy (ART) and face individual, network and structural level barriers to ART initiation, retention and adherence. To prevent clinical treatment outcome disparities and reduce onward HIV transmission, understanding how best to adapt and implement, scalable and effective interventions to promote viral suppression among marginalized women is paramount. The overall goal of the Siyaphambili study is to inform South African HIV service delivery and scale up determining the most cost-effective package needed to achieve viral suppression among FSW and by characterizing the FSW most in need of these intensive HIV treatment interventions.

HYPOTHESIS: DTP and ICM will be equally effective at achieving viral suppression and will have a synergistic effect when combined and targeted at those who remain non-responsive to either isolated intervention. Additionally, an adaptive, graduated multicomponent intervention to achieve viral suppression would be preferred under standard thresholds for cost-effectiveness over single-intensity interventions or intensive multicomponent interventions for all FSW.

INTERVENTION: The Siyaphambili Study is a sequential multistage adaptive randomized trial (SMART) to compare the effectiveness and durability of two behavioral interventions on the HIV-1 virologic response among FSW living with HIV in Durban, South Africa. The interventions are: 1) nurse-led decentralized treatment program (DTP) and 2) individualized case management (ICM). The design will also estimate the incremental cost-effectiveness of study interventions and combinations of interventions compared with maintaining the South African standard of HIV care and treatment.

STUDY DESIGN: A sequential multistage adaptive randomized study, embedded within the TB/HIV Care program in Durban, South Africa, will enroll 800 viremic FSW into the 18-month trial. Women will be randomized to either DTP or ICM at enrolment and rerandomized 6 months after enrolment based on their response to the initial intervention.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To compare the effectiveness and durability of nurse-led DTP and ICM in isolation or in combination to achieve viral suppression.

SECONDARY OBJECTIVE: To estimate the incremental impact and cost-effectiveness associated with study interventions and combination of interventions.

OUTCOMES: The primary outcome of the study is retention and viral suppression among those initially randomized to the DTP verse ICM intervention. The secondary outcomes are retention and viral suppression of non-responders, retention and viral suppression among month 6 non-responders, retention and viral suppression at 18 months among month 6 non-responders randomized to continuation of either intervention verse combined DTP+ICM, risk stratification tool, durability of retention and viral suppression of responders, to assess adherence, to assess viral suppression of retained, loss-to-follow-up, intervention acceptability, switching to 2nd/3rd line ART, and ART resistance.

ANALYTIC PLAN:

Primary analysis for primary outcome:

Retention in ART care and viral suppression will be a combined outcome in an intention to treat (ITT) analysis at 18 months to compare participants initially randomized to the DTP verse ICM intervention. Viral suppression is defined as a viral load assessment \<50 RNA copies/mL and participants lost to follow up or who experience death during the trial duration will be grouped with non-virally suppressed participants.

Conditions

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HIV-1 Virologic Response

Study Design

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Allocation Method

RANDOMIZED

Intervention Model

SEQUENTIAL

This sequential multistage adaptive randomized trial (SMART) assesses two interventions to address treatment barriers: (1) nurse-led mobile decentralized treatment programs (DTP) and (2) peer-led, individualized case management (ICM).
Primary Study Purpose

TREATMENT

Blinding Strategy

NONE

Study Groups

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DTP, Continue DTP if Responsive

DTP:

* Standard of care (SoC), minus clinic referrals for antiretroviral therapy (ART) treatment initiation and management.
* Nurse initiated and managed ART within the community on mobile van at sites served by the mobile van which already provides SoC services

Continues with DTP intervention if virally suppressed at 6 months.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

DTP

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the community through a mobile-van DTP managed by a nurse capable of initiating and managing ART.

DTP, Standard of Care (SoC) if Responsive

DTP:

* Standard of care, minus clinic referrals for ART treatment initiation and management.
* Nurse initiated and managed ART within the community on mobile van at sites served by the mobile van which already provides SoC services

SoC:

* HIV counseling and testing (HTC)
* Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and treatment
* Tuberculosis (TB) screening and referral
* Health education through peer educators and peer supported follow-up related to linkages to care
* Referrals to Department of Health (DoH) primary healthcare clinics or TB HIV Care (THC) drop-in center for ART treatment initiation and management

Returns to SoC if virally suppressed at 6 months.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

DTP

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the community through a mobile-van DTP managed by a nurse capable of initiating and managing ART.

DTP, Continue DTP if Non-Responsive

DTP:

* Standard of care, minus clinic referrals for ART treatment initiation and management.
* Nurse initiated and managed ART within the community on mobile van at sites served by the mobile van which already provides SoC services

Continues with DTP intervention if not virally suppressed at 6 months.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

DTP

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the community through a mobile-van DTP managed by a nurse capable of initiating and managing ART.

DTP, DTP+ICM if Non-Responsive

DTP:

* Standard of care, minus clinic referrals for ART treatment initiation and management.
* Nurse initiated and managed ART within the community on mobile van at sites served by the mobile van which already provides SoC services

ICM:

* Standard of Care
* Assignment of peer case manager
* Face-to-face meeting to tailor ICM approach to FSW preference
* Self-efficacy building in face-to-face sessions and bi-weekly text messages
* Relational support through monthly calls, face-to-face meetings every three months, and additional support through female sex worker (FSW) initiated interaction

Receives both interventions at 6 months if non-virally suppressed.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

DTP

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the community through a mobile-van DTP managed by a nurse capable of initiating and managing ART.

ICM

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Peer-led ICM through quarterly face-to-face meetings, monthly phone calls and biweekly text messages.

ICM, Continue ICM if Responsive

ICM:

* Standard of Care
* Assignment of peer case manager
* Face-to-face meeting to tailor ICM approach to FSW preference
* Self-efficacy building in face-to-face sessions and bi-weekly text messages
* Relational support through monthly calls, face-to-face meetings every three months, and additional support through FSW initiated interaction

Continues with ICM intervention at 6 months if virally suppressed.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

ICM

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Peer-led ICM through quarterly face-to-face meetings, monthly phone calls and biweekly text messages.

ICM, SoC if Responsive

ICM:

* Standard of Care
* Assignment of peer case manager
* Face-to-face meeting to tailor ICM approach to FSW preference
* Self-efficacy building in face-to-face sessions and bi-weekly text messages
* Relational support through monthly calls, face-to-face meetings every three months, and additional support through FSW initiated interaction

SoC:

* HIV counseling and testing (HTC)
* STI screening and treatment
* TB screening and referral
* Health education through peer educators and peer supported follow-up related to linkages to care
* Referrals to DOH primary healthcare clinics or THC drop-in center for ART treatment initiation and management

Returns to SoC if virally suppressed at 6 months.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

ICM

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Peer-led ICM through quarterly face-to-face meetings, monthly phone calls and biweekly text messages.

ICM, Continue ICM if Non-Responsive

ICM:

* Standard of Care
* Assignment of peer case manager
* Face-to-face meeting to tailor ICM approach to FSW preference
* Self-efficacy building in face-to-face sessions and bi-weekly text messages
* Relational support through monthly calls, face-to-face meetings every three months, and additional support through FSW initiated interaction

Continues with ICM intervention at 6 months if non-virally suppressed.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

ICM

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Peer-led ICM through quarterly face-to-face meetings, monthly phone calls and biweekly text messages.

ICM, ICM+DTP if Non-Responsive

ICM:

* Standard of Care
* Assignment of peer case manager
* Face-to-face meeting to tailor ICM approach to FSW preference
* Self-efficacy building in face-to-face sessions and bi-weekly text messages
* Relational support through monthly calls, face-to-face meetings every three months, and additional support through FSW initiated interaction

DTP:

* Standard of care, minus clinic referrals for ART treatment initiation and management.
* Nurse initiated and managed ART within the community on mobile van at sites served by the mobile van which already provides SoC services

Receives both interventions at 6 months if non-virally suppressed.

Group Type ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

DTP

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the community through a mobile-van DTP managed by a nurse capable of initiating and managing ART.

ICM

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Peer-led ICM through quarterly face-to-face meetings, monthly phone calls and biweekly text messages.

Standard of Care (SoC)

Standard of Care (SoC):

* HIV counseling and testing (HTC)
* Sexually transmitted infection (STI) screening and treatment
* Tuberculosis (TB) screening and referral
* Health education through peer educators and peer supported follow-up related to linkages to care
* Referrals to Department of Health (DoH) primary healthcare clinics or TB HIV Care (THC) drop-in center for ART treatment initiation and management

Group Type NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

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DTP

Provision of antiretroviral therapy (ART) in the community through a mobile-van DTP managed by a nurse capable of initiating and managing ART.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

ICM

Peer-led ICM through quarterly face-to-face meetings, monthly phone calls and biweekly text messages.

Intervention Type BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

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Inclusion Criteria

1. Sells sex for goods or money as their main source of income
2. Assigned female sex at birth
3. ≥ 18 years of age
4. Living with HIV; diagnosed ≥ 6 months prior
5. Currently living in Durban
6. If on ART, initiated ≥2 months prior

Exclusion Criteria

1. Engagement in an ongoing HIV treatment research study
2. Planning on leaving Durban for more than 3 months in the following 12 months
3. Pregnant at time of enrollment
4. On a second line or third ART regimen
5. Participating in an adherence club
Minimum Eligible Age

18 Years

Eligible Sex

FEMALE

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Sponsors

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University of the Western Cape

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

TB HIV Care

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of Toronto

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

University of California, San Francisco

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

National Institute for Communicable Diseases, South Africa

OTHER

Sponsor Role collaborator

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

OTHER

Sponsor Role lead

Responsible Party

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Responsibility Role SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

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Stefan Baral, MD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health

Harry Hausler, MD, MPH

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

TB HIV Care

Locations

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TB HIV Care

Durban, , South Africa

Site Status

Countries

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South Africa

References

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Comins CA, Genberg B, Mcingana M, Bandeen-Roche K, Phetlhu DR, Steingo J, Mishra S, Wang L, Baral S, Hausler H, Schwartz S. Longitudinal Trajectories of Engagement With HIV Treatment Support Strategies Among Female Sex Workers Living With HIV in South Africa. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2025 Dec 1;100(4):323-330. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000003738.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 40810449 (View on PubMed)

Comins CA, Baral S, Mcingana M, Shipp L, Phetlhu DR, Young K, Guddera V, Hausler H, Schwartz S. ART coverage and viral suppression among female sex workers living with HIV in eThekwini, South Africa: Baseline findings from the Siyaphambili study. PLOS Glob Public Health. 2024 May 22;4(5):e0002783. doi: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0002783. eCollection 2024.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 38776334 (View on PubMed)

Bhardwaj A, Comins CA, Guddera V, Mcingana M, Young K, Phetlhu R, Mulumba N, Mishra S, Hausler H, Baral S, Schwartz S. Prevalence of depression, syndemic factors and their impact on viral suppression among female sex workers living with HIV in eThekwini, South Africa. BMC Womens Health. 2023 May 5;23(1):232. doi: 10.1186/s12905-023-02392-2.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 37147708 (View on PubMed)

Chen C, Baral S, Comins CA, Mcingana M, Wang L, Phetlhu DR, Mulumba N, Guddera V, Young K, Mishra S, Hausler H, Schwartz SR. HIV- and sex work-related stigmas and quality of life of female sex workers living with HIV in South Africa: a cross-sectional study. BMC Infect Dis. 2022 Dec 6;22(1):910. doi: 10.1186/s12879-022-07892-4.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 36474210 (View on PubMed)

Wang L, Dowdy DW, Comins CA, Young K, Mcingana M, Mulumba N, Mhlophe H, Chen C, Hausler H, Schwartz SR, Baral S, Mishra S; Siyaphambili Study team. Health-related quality of life of female sex workers living with HIV in South Africa: a cross-sectional study. J Int AIDS Soc. 2022 Feb;25(2):e25884. doi: 10.1002/jia2.25884.

Reference Type DERIVED
PMID: 35212470 (View on PubMed)

Provided Documents

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Document Type: Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Document Type: Informed Consent Form

View Document

Other Identifiers

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R01NR016650

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: org_study_id

View Link

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