Persuasive health communication to increase HIV/HCV testing acceptance

Evaluation of a Persuasive Health Communication Intervention Designed to Increase HIV/HCV Screening Among Emergency Departments Patients Who Currently, Formerly or Never Injected Drugs.

Not applicable Interventional University of South Florida · NCT05968573

This study is testing whether a short video or a talk with a counselor can encourage adults in emergency rooms who initially said no to get tested for HIV and Hepatitis C.

Quick facts

PhaseNot applicable
Study typeInterventional
Enrollment2000 (estimated)
Ages18 Years and up
SexAll
SponsorUniversity of South Florida Academic / other
Locations1 site (New York, New York)
Trial IDNCT05968573 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This intervention aims to improve the acceptance of HIV and Hepatitis C testing among adult patients in emergency departments who initially declined screening. The study will compare the effectiveness of a brief persuasive health communication intervention delivered via video versus by an HIV/HCV counselor. Participants will be stratified based on their history of injection drug use and will be recruited from the Mount Sinai Health System's emergency departments. The trial is designed to be quick, with minimal disruption to patient care, and aims to enroll 2,000 eligible participants over three years.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Ideal candidates are adults aged 18 and older who have declined HIV/HCV screening and are not currently infected with either virus.

Not a fit: Patients who are already HIV or HCV positive, or those who have tested for these viruses in the past 12 months, will not benefit from this study.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this intervention could significantly increase the rates of HIV and HCV testing among at-risk populations, leading to earlier diagnosis and treatment.

How similar studies have performed: Previous studies have shown that persuasive health communication can effectively increase testing rates for various conditions, suggesting potential success for this approach.

Eligibility criteria

Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria:

* ≥18 years-old
* Speak English or Spanish, and able to provide informed consent for study participation
* Not HIV AND HCV infected/Antibody+ (per EHR review and patient report)
* Not already participating in a HIV or HCV study (e.g., HIV PrEP, HIV vaccine)
* Not tested for HIV OR HCV within the past 12 months (per EHR review and patient report)

Exclusion Criteria:

* \<18 years old
* Unable to speak Spanish or English
* HIV or HCV positive
* Currently enrolled in another HIV or HCV research study
* Has tested for HIV or HCV in the past 12 months

Where this trial is running

New York, New York

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 Human Immunodeficiency VirusHepatitis C
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.