Prevention strategies that aim to test and treat people for HIV infection are undermined by HIV treatment non-adherence and sexually transmitted co-infections (STI). Scalable interventions are urgently needed to sustain low infectiousness by improving HIV treatment adherence and reducing risks for transmitting HIV. This application proposes to test a theory-based behavioral intervention to simultaneously improve HIV treatment adherence and reduce HIV transmission risk behaviors in people living with HIV/AIDS who use alcohol and other drugs. Grounded in Conflict Theory of Decision Making, the intervention will be delivered in a mixed format, with one office-based counseling session followed by four cell phone delivered counseling sessions. The intervention will be conducted in Atlanta and surrounding impoverished areas. Men (n = 250) and women (n = 250) receiving HIV treatment will be recruited from AIDS services and infectious disease clinics. Following informed consent and baseline assessments, participants will be randomly assigned to either an (a) integrated HIV treatment adherence - risk reduction intervention or (b) a time-matched non-contaminating attention control condition. Participants will be followed for 12-months using office-based computerized interviews, unannounced pill counts, and medical chart abstraction. The study will test the hypothesis that a unified, integrated theory-based HIV treatment and risk reduction intervention will reduce HIV transmission risk behaviors, improve HIV treatment adherence, reduce viral load and prevent new STI. The study will also examine the influence of theoretical constructs and structural barriers on intervention outcomes. Factors that predict relapse to non-adherence and risk behaviors in relation to changes in viral load and STI over the 12-month follow-up period will also be a focal point of the study. The intervention under investigation will be among the first to simultaneously address treatment adherence and risk behavior in an integrated model for substance using HIV positive men and women. If shown effective, the intervention model will be ready for immediate dissemination to community and clinical services for people living with HIV/AIDS.

Public Health Relevance

Prevention strategies that aim to test and treat people for HIV infection are undermined by HIV treatment non-adherence and sexually transmitted co-infections (STI). The proposed study will test a theory-based behavioral intervention to reduce HIV infectiousness by simultaneously improving HIV treatment adherence and reducing sexually transmitted co-infections in people living with HIV-AIDS who use alcohol and other drugs. The intervention is delivered in a single office-based counseling session followed by 4 cell phone delivered counseling sessions in a model that will be ready for immediate dissemination to case management and clinical services for people living with HIV/AIDS in resource constrained settings.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
4R01DA033067-05
Application #
9013464
Study Section
Special Emphasis Panel (ZRG1-AARR-F (02))
Program Officer
Aklin, Will
Project Start
2012-02-01
Project End
2017-01-31
Budget Start
2016-02-01
Budget End
2017-01-31
Support Year
5
Fiscal Year
2016
Total Cost
$619,775
Indirect Cost
$207,888
Name
University of Connecticut
Department
Psychology
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
614209054
City
Storrs-Mansfield
State
CT
Country
United States
Zip Code
06269
Kalichman, Seth C; Cherry, Chauncey; Kalichman, Moira O et al. (2018) Mobile Health Intervention to Reduce HIV Transmission: A Randomized Trial of Behaviorally Enhanced HIV Treatment as Prevention (B-TasP). J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 78:34-42
Pellowski, Jennifer A; Huedo-Medina, Tania B; Kalichman, Seth C (2018) Food Insecurity, Substance Use, and Sexual Transmission Risk Behavior Among People Living with HIV: A Daily Level Analysis. Arch Sex Behav 47:1899-1907
Chen, Yiyun; Chen, Kun; Kalichman, Seth C (2017) Barriers to HIV Medication Adherence as a Function of Regimen Simplification. Ann Behav Med 51:67-78
Kalichman, Seth C; Hernandez, Dominica; Finneran, Stephanie et al. (2017) Transgender women and HIV-related health disparities: falling off the HIV treatment cascade. Sex Health 14:469-476
Kalichman, Seth C; Price, Devon; Eaton, Lisa A et al. (2017) Diminishing Perceived Threat of AIDS and Increasing Sexual Risks of HIV Among Men Who Have Sex with Men, 1997-2015. Arch Sex Behav 46:895-902
Kalichman, Seth C; Kalichman, Moira O; Cherry, Chauncey (2017) Forget about forgetting: structural barriers and severe non-adherence to antiretroviral therapy. AIDS Care 29:418-422
Cornelius, Talea; Jones, Maranda; Merly, Cynthia et al. (2017) Impact of food, housing, and transportation insecurity on ART adherence: a hierarchical resources approach. AIDS Care 29:449-457
Kalichman, Seth C; Eaton, Lisa; Kalichman, Moira O et al. (2016) Race-based medical mistrust, medication beliefs and HIV treatment adherence: test of a mediation model in people living with HIV/AIDS. J Behav Med 39:1056-1064
Kalichman, Seth C; Cherry, Chauncey; Kalichman, Moira O et al. (2016) Sexual Behaviors and Transmission Risks Among People Living with HIV: Beliefs, Perceptions, and Challenges to Using Treatments as Prevention. Arch Sex Behav 45:1421-30
Kalichman, Seth; Kalichman, Moira O; Cherry, Chauncey (2016) Medication beliefs and structural barriers to treatment adherence among people living with HIV infection. Psychol Health 31:383-95

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