Healthier Choices: support for HIV care and safer alcohol use in young adults

SMARTer Healthy Choices: Optimizing a state-wide scalable intervention to improve alcohol and HIV self-management in adolescents and emerging adults (Project SUSTAIN)

NIH-funded research Florida State University · NIH-11173775

This project compares mobile messaging alone versus mobile messaging plus one telehealth counseling session, then uses an adaptive plan to help young people with HIV improve medication taking and reduce risky drinking.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionFlorida State University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Tallahassee, United States)
Project IDNIH-11173775 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would join a program for young people living with HIV (ages ~18–29) that starts with a mobile health messaging intervention called THRIVE or THRIVE plus one telehealth Healthy Choices session. After one month, your response (how well you are taking HIV meds and whether you have hazardous drinking) determines whether you stay with the same plan or are re-randomized to extra check-ins or different support. The trial uses a SMART (Sequential Multiple Assignment Randomized Trial) design so the program can be tailored to what actually helps individuals. The goal is to create a state-wide, scalable way to support self-management of HIV and alcohol use using mHealth and telehealth.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates are young people living with HIV, roughly ages 18–29, who have challenges with antiretroviral adherence or hazardous alcohol use and can use mobile phones and telehealth.

Not a fit: People who are not living with HIV, are outside the age range, already have excellent medication adherence and no hazardous drinking, or cannot use telehealth/mobile services are unlikely to benefit from this program.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help more young people with HIV keep their viral load low and cut hazardous drinking by using scalable mobile and telehealth support.

How similar studies have performed: Previous trials, including an adapted Healthy Choices intervention, have shown benefits for viral outcomes and drinking in young people with HIV, but using a SMART adaptive design to tailor mHealth plus telehealth is a newer approach.

Where this research is happening

Tallahassee, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.