Improving HIV, STI, and HCV prevention in rural Appalachia

Harnessing the Power of Peer Navigation and mHealth to Reduce Health Disparities in Appalachia

Not applicable Interventional Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NCT04378439

This study is testing a new way to help gay, bisexual, and transgender people in rural Appalachia get better access to HIV, STI, and HCV prevention and care services by using peer support and mobile health tools.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment141 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorWake Forest University Health Sciences Academic / other
Locations1 site (Winston-Salem, North Carolina)
Trial IDNCT04378439 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This intervention combines peer navigation and mobile health (mHealth) strategies to enhance access to HIV, STI, and HCV prevention and care services among racially and ethnically diverse gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBMSM) and transgender women in rural Appalachia. The study aims to increase testing rates for these conditions by providing culturally compatible and bilingual support. Participants will be compared to a delayed-intervention group to assess the effectiveness of the intervention in promoting health services utilization.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are individuals aged 18 and older, assigned male sex at birth, who have had sexual contact with at least one man in the past year and reside in rural Appalachian counties.

Not a fit: Patients who do not reside in the specified rural Appalachian counties or do not meet the age and sexual history criteria may not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly increase the rates of HIV, STI, and HCV testing among vulnerable populations in rural areas.

How similar studies have performed: Other studies have shown success with similar community-based participatory research approaches in addressing health disparities, indicating potential for positive outcomes in this context.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* reside in one of the rural Appalachian catchment countiesreside in one of the rural Appalachian catchment counties
* be ≥18 years of age
* report being assigned male sex at birth and having had sex with at least 1 man in past 12 months
* provide informed consent

Where this trial is running

Winston-Salem, North Carolina

Study contacts

How to participate

  1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
  2. Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
  3. Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.
Conditions HIV/AIDSSTIHCVPrEP
Last reviewed 2026-06-13 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.