Crowdsourcing to Reduce HIV Stigma Among Adolescents and Young Adults in Kazakhstan

NCT ID: NCT05107401

Last Updated: 2024-12-17

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 216 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2023-01-24
• Study Completion Date: 2023-08-22

Brief Summary

This project will assess whether a digital crowdsourced intervention can reduce HIV stigma and promote HIV self-testing among adolescents and young adults (AYA). NIH has emphasized the need for research on interventions to reduce HIV-associated stigma and its impact on the prevention and treatment of HIV/AIDS, particularly in low and middle income countries (LMICs). The proposed study has the highest public health significance: it uses a community-based participatory approach to engage local AYA to develop a digital crowdsourced HIV stigma reduction and self-testing intervention to reduce HIV stigma and increase HIV testing.

Study Aim 1: To develop a crowdsourced digital HIV stigma reduction and self-testing intervention targeting AYA in Kazakhstan. Using a community-based participatory approach that engages local adolescents and young adults (AYA) and youth organizations, we will launch a national crowdsourcing contest in which AYA will design multimedia content to reduce HIV stigma in order to promote HIV testing among peers.

Study Aim 2: To pilot test this crowdsourced HIV stigma reduction and self-testing intervention in a preliminary efficacy trial. We will assess the intervention's feasibility and acceptability and obtain preliminary estimates of its effects on decreasing HIV stigma (primary outcome) and increasing HIV testing (secondary outcome) among AYA in Kazakhstan who received the intervention compared to individuals who did not. Participants (n=168) will be randomized 1:1 to: 1) receive the winning multimedia crowdsourced HIV stigma reduction content and a link for HIV self-testing, or 2) receive standard Kazakhstan Ministry of Health HIV informational materials and a link for HIV self-testing.

Detailed Description

This project will assess whether a digital crowdsourced intervention can reduce HIV stigma and promote HIV self-testing among adolescents and young adults (AYA). Globally AYA are at increased risk for HIV acquisition. In Eastern Europe and Central Asia (EECA), new HIV infections among 15-24 year old AYA are expected to increase 28% by 2030. In Kazakhstan, one in four HIV infections occur among AYA. Despite the growing HIV burden among AYA in Kazakhstan, this population has some of the lowest HIV testing rates in the country, largely due to stigma. Yet few efforts in Kazakhstan address HIV stigma and the role it plays as a barrier to HIV testing. Digital technologies and crowdsourcing campaigns (i.e., engaging groups of AYA online to address public health challenges and share solutions) are scalable, cost-effective tools that can increase HIV testing services and reduce HIV stigma in low and middle income countries (LMICs) and other resource- constrained settings. Crowdsourcing may be particularly successful among AYA, given their high levels of social media use and technological literacy. Complementing the crowdsourcing approach, mailing HIV rapid test kits can enable AYA to avoid the stigma associated with attending the AIDS Center and overcome transportation barriers.

Conditions

Stigma, Social; HIV Testing

Keywords

HIV stigma

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: SINGLE_GROUP
• Primary Study Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

Crowdsourced Intervention

The digital crowdsourced intervention will be presented to participants in the intervention arm.

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Digital Crowdsourced Intervention to Reduce HIV Stigma among Adolescents and Young Adults

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Adolescents and young adults will participate in a crowdsourcing contest to create digital materials to reduce HIV stigma in order to increase HIV testing. Entries will be judged by a community judging panel and expert judging panel. Winning entries will be selected for the digital intervention and presented to participants in the intervention arm.

Standard of Care

Standard HIV informational materials currently used by the Kazakhstan Ministry of Health will be presented to participants in the control arm.

Group Type: NO_INTERVENTION

No interventions assigned to this group

Interventions

Digital Crowdsourced Intervention to Reduce HIV Stigma among Adolescents and Young Adults

Adolescents and young adults will participate in a crowdsourcing contest to create digital materials to reduce HIV stigma in order to increase HIV testing. Entries will be judged by a community judging panel and expert judging panel. Winning entries will be selected for the digital intervention and presented to participants in the intervention arm.

Intervention Type: BEHAVIORAL

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• Age 16-24
• Report previous sex with another individual
• Reside in Kazakhstan

Exclusion Criteria

• Not willing to provide consent or not able to understand study procedures

• Minimum Eligible Age: 16 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 24 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

National Institutes of Health (NIH)

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Fogarty International Center of the National Institute of Health

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

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

NIH

Sponsor Role: collaborator

Columbia University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Alissa Davis

Assistant Professor of Social Work, School of Social Work

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Principal Investigators

Alissa Davis, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Columbia University

Locations

Columbia University Global Health Research Center of Central Asia

Almaty, , Kazakhstan

Countries

Kazakhstan

Provided Documents

Document Type: Study Protocol

View Document

Document Type: Statistical Analysis Plan

View Document

Other Identifiers

R21TW012017

Identifier Type: NIH

Identifier Source: secondary_id

View Link

AAAT7871

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id