A Comprehensive HIV Prevention Package for South African Adolescent Girls and Young Women

NCT ID: NCT04758390

Last Updated: 2025-01-20

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 1290 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2021-10-02
• Study Completion Date: 2024-10-04

Brief Summary

To achieve an AIDS-free generation, there is a critical need for programs which go beyond individual-level behavior change to reduce HIV and STI infections among adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. Informed, Motivated, Aware, and Responsible Adolescents and Adults (IMARA) is an evidence-based HIV-prevention intervention for adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) and their female caregivers, which has been adapted for a South African audience. The study will test whether AGYW receiving IMARA will have fewer sexually-transmitted infections (STI) and greater acceptance of HIV testing and counseling (HTC) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) at 6-month follow-up compared to AGYW assigned to the health-promotion control intervention.

Detailed Description

Reducing new HIV and STI infections among South African (SA) adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) is global public health priority. SA has the world's largest HIV epidemic, and SA AGYW acquire HIV at twice the rate of and seroconvert on average 5 - 7 years earlier than male peers. As new infections continue to outpace access to and availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and antiretroviral therapy (ART), primary prevention remains the most viable strategy to stem new transmission. SA efforts to prevent HIV transmission in youth focus mostly on individual-level behavior change, but AGYW's persistent HIV disparities are explained by broad social and structural inequities that shape and constrain HIV-risk behaviors. Comprehensive HIV prevention packages that are integrated, synergistic, and tailored to the local epidemiology and cultural context are likely to achieve and sustain maximum reductions in HIV-risk. Female caregivers (FC) are an untapped resource in the HIV prevention toolbox and offer a novel opportunity to strengthen AGYW prevention efforts. AGYW may also be change agents for their FC who want to be positive role models for AGYW, and thus, adopt HIV prevention behaviors, including HTC and PrEP.

This study will evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of Informed Motivated Aware and Responsible Adolescents and Adults (IMARA), a multilevel, innovative, family-based HIV prevention program that targets individual, social, and structural drivers of risk. IMARA demonstrated a 43% reduction in incident STI at 12-month follow-up among black 14-18-year-old girls in the US. IMARA has been systematically tailored for the SA context and piloted among AGYW and FC dyads. A two-arm RCT will now be conducted with about 645 AGYW (15-19 years old) and FC dyads. Following randomization, AGYW-FC dyads will participate in a 2-day group workshop (~12 hours) that includes joint and separate mother and daughter activities. AGYW and FC will complete baseline, 6-, and 12-month assessments, including testing for three STI (chlamydia, gonorrhea, and trichomoniasis). We will offer HTC and PrEP at each assessment and track uptake and linkage to care. AGYW and FC who are HIV-negative and interested in PrEP will receive a one-month supply and referral to a clinic. They will additionally receive treatment and counseling if testing positive for an STI and referral for care at an ART clinic if testing positive for HIV. Data will be collected to determine the costs of IMARA. Analyses will compare AGYW across the intervention and control programs on STI incidence, and PrEP and HTC uptake, in addition to secondary outcomes. We will also evaluate the costs and cost-effectiveness of IMARA with respect to the acquisition of STI and HIV, where possible considering power limitations. Additionally, the intervention's implementation will be explored. The study answers an urgent need to evaluate the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of combination HIV prevention packages for AGYW.

Conditions

Sexually Transmitted Infections; HIV Infections

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

IMARA intervention arm

Participants randomized to the IMARA arm will receive the IMARA intervention (i.e., the intervention group).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

IMARA (intervention group)

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The IMARA intervention aligns with an ecological framework, emphasizing the intersection of individual, social, and structural determinants of women's sexual health and behavior. Separate FC and AGYW groups run simultaneously and cover parallel content, while joint activities enhance FC credibility as a resource for HIV/STI prevention and facilitate practice of communication skills. Interventionists use interactive and experiential activities. IMARA's goals and motto emphasize strong FC-AGYW relationships, sisterhood, community empowerment, and motivation for HIV prevention, and build group cohesion. FC and AGYW sign a pact to confirm commitment to the program. At the end of Workshop Day 1, participants receive homework to complete during the week. Woven throughout IMARA is the impact of mental health issues, alcohol and drug use, and violence on HIV-risk.

Health promotion control arm

Participants randomized to the health promotion control arm will receive the health promotion intervention (i.e., the control group).

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Health promotion control group

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

The health promotion control intervention is a family-based intervention previously delivered to families in SA and translated into isiXhosa. The intervention promotes healthy living by encouraging good nutrition, exercise, and violence reduction. It will be delivered in the same format as IMARA and will be identical in length and intensity.

Interventions

IMARA (intervention group)

The IMARA intervention aligns with an ecological framework, emphasizing the intersection of individual, social, and structural determinants of women's sexual health and behavior. Separate FC and AGYW groups run simultaneously and cover parallel content, while joint activities enhance FC credibility as a resource for HIV/STI prevention and facilitate practice of communication skills. Interventionists use interactive and experiential activities. IMARA's goals and motto emphasize strong FC-AGYW relationships, sisterhood, community empowerment, and motivation for HIV prevention, and build group cohesion. FC and AGYW sign a pact to confirm commitment to the program. At the end of Workshop Day 1, participants receive homework to complete during the week. Woven throughout IMARA is the impact of mental health issues, alcohol and drug use, and violence on HIV-risk.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Health promotion control group

The health promotion control intervention is a family-based intervention previously delivered to families in SA and translated into isiXhosa. The intervention promotes healthy living by encouraging good nutrition, exercise, and violence reduction. It will be delivered in the same format as IMARA and will be identical in length and intensity.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• female;
• 15-19 years-old;
• residing in Klipfontein/Mitchells Plain (K/MP);
• speak isiXhosa or English or a combination of these languages;
• willing to have biometric data collected.

• identified by AGYW as a FC;
• 24 years and older;
• living with or in daily contact with the AGYW;
• speak isiXhosa or English or a combination of these languages;
• willing to have biometric data collected.

Exclusion Criteria

• AGYW will be excluded from the study if they do not have a FC to participate in the study.
• AGYW and FC will be excluded from the study if they are: a) unable to understand the consent/assent process and provide written informed consent; b) currently enrolled in another research study addressing HIV/STIs/PrEP.
• AGYW and FC must agree to participate as a dyad. AGYW refusal will supersede FC consent.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 15 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 19 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

Desmond Tutu Health Foundation

OTHER

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

University of Illinois at Chicago

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Natasha Crooks

Assistant Professor, Human Development Nursing Science

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Geri R Donenberg, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Illinois at Chicago

Linda-Gail Bekker, MBChB, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Desmond Tutu Health Foundation

Locations

Desmond Tutu Health Foundation

Cape Town, , South Africa

Countries

South Africa

References

Donenberg GR, Kendall AD, Emerson E, Fletcher FE, Bray BC, McCabe K. IMARA: A mother-daughter group randomized controlled trial to reduce sexually transmitted infections in Black/African-American adolescents. PLoS One. 2020 Nov 2;15(11):e0239650. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0239650. eCollection 2020.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 33137103 (View on PubMed)

Atujuna M, Merrill K, Ndwayana S, Emerson E, Fynn L, Bekker L-G, Donenberg G: Engaging female caregivers to improve South African girls' and young womens' sexual and reproductive health outcomes. In: HIV Research for Prevention Virtual Conference. 2021.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Donenberg GR, Emerson E, Bryant FB, Wilson H, Weber-Shifrin E. Understanding AIDS-risk behavior among adolescents in psychiatric care: links to psychopathology and peer relationships. J Am Acad Child Adolesc Psychiatry. 2001 Jun;40(6):642-53. doi: 10.1097/00004583-200106000-00008.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 11392341 (View on PubMed)

Wilson IB, Lee Y, Michaud J, Fowler FJ Jr, Rogers WH. Validation of a New Three-Item Self-Report Measure for Medication Adherence. AIDS Behav. 2016 Nov;20(11):2700-2708. doi: 10.1007/s10461-016-1406-x.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 27098408 (View on PubMed)

Haroz EE, Bolton P, Nguyen AJ, Lee C, Bogdanov S, Bass J, Singh NS, Doty B, Murray L. Measuring implementation in global mental health: validation of a pragmatic implementation science measure in eastern Ukraine using an experimental vignette design. BMC Health Serv Res. 2019 Apr 29;19(1):262. doi: 10.1186/s12913-019-4097-y.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 31036002 (View on PubMed)

Lane KL, Bocian KM, MacMillan DL, Gresham FM. Treatment integrity: An essential-but often forgotten-component of school-based interventions. Preventing School Failure. 2004; 48(3): 36-43.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

Norton WE. An exploratory study to examine intentions to adopt an evidence-based HIV linkage-to-care intervention among state health department AIDS directors in the United States. Implement Sci. 2012 Apr 2;7:27. doi: 10.1186/1748-5908-7-27.

Reference Type: BACKGROUND

PMID: 22471965 (View on PubMed)

Donenberg G, Merrill KG, Atujuna M, Emerson E, Bray B, Bekker LG. Mental health outcomes of a pilot 2-arm randomized controlled trial of a HIV-prevention program for South African adolescent girls and young women and their female caregivers. BMC Public Health. 2021 Nov 30;21(1):2189. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-12010-1.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 34847908 (View on PubMed)

Donenberg GR, Atujuna M, Merrill KG, Emerson E, Ndwayana S, Blachman-Demner D, Bekker LG. An individually randomized controlled trial of a mother-daughter HIV/STI prevention program for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa: IMARA-SA study protocol. BMC Public Health. 2021 Sep 20;21(1):1708. doi: 10.1186/s12889-021-11727-3.

Reference Type: DERIVED

PMID: 34544403 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

UH3HD096875

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

2018-0709

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id