Using social networks to find people with undiagnosed HIV and reduce stigma

Is this trial a fit for you?

A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.

What this trial studies

This site-randomized trial assigns 32 Department of Health clinics in the Msunduzi region to either the expanded social network recruitment (E-SNRHT) intervention or to a control condition, with clinics stratified by urbanicity. Adults newly diagnosed with HIV at participating clinics are enrolled as "seeds" and, at intervention clinics only, receive brief education and are asked to recruit members of their expanded social networks (friends, family, acquaintances) who may benefit from HIV testing. Recruited network members are offered HIV testing and, if positive, referred to antiretroviral treatment and supportive services, while outcomes in control clinics follow standard recruitment and testing procedures. The trial measures newly identified cases, linkage to care, and changes in HIV-related stigma across participating clinics.

Why it matters

Who can join: the full rules

"Seeds" (i.e., initial participants in both study arms) will be recruited via referrals from clinics' standard of care HIV testing. To be eligible, seeds must have received a new HIV diagnosis from a study clinic in the last 2 months (i.e., they must be newly diagnosed with HIV infection \[NDH\]), and must have been given a study recruitment coupon by staff at one of these clinics. They will also be screened to ensure that they meet the following additional eligibility criteria: are ≥ 18 years old, are able to be interviewed in English or isiZulu (since over 95% of the population in the Msunduzi region speaks one or both of these languages), are able to give informed consent, and indicate that they reside in the Msunduzi region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Seeds in the intervention arm (i.e., recruited from intervention condition-assigned clinics) will be asked to recruit their expanded social network members who they think would benefit from testing for HIV. Network members will be eligible to participate if they have a recruitment coupon given to them by a study participant (i.e., if they were recruited by an intervention arm participant); are ≥ 18 years old; able to be interviewed in English or isiZulu; able to give informed consent; and reside in the Msunduzi region.

Inclusion Criteria:

* Has study recruitment coupon (from clinic or from intervention arm participant)
* Is ≥ 18 years old
* Is able to be interviewed in English or isiZulu
* Is able to give informed consent
* Resides in the Msunduzi region

Exclusion Criteria:

* Does not have study recruitment coupon (from clinic or from intervention arm participant)
* Is \< 18 years old
* Is not able to be interviewed in English or isiZulu
* Is not able to give informed consent
* Does not reside in the Msunduzi region

Where it's running

• Centre for Community-based Research, Human Sciences Research Council
  Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa Recruiting

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Leslie D. Williams, Ph.D. — University of Illinois Chicago
• Study coordinator: Leslie D. Williams, Ph.D.
• Email: lesliedw@uic.edu
• Phone: 312-996-8820

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How to take part

1. Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
2. Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
3. Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.