Wellness and strategies to support HIV care (WISH)

Wellness, Intervention Strategies and HIV Care

This pilot tests whether a behavioral program (WISH) helps adults with HIV who have used substances stick to their HIV medicines, reach viral suppression, and stay engaged in care.

Quick facts

• Phase: NA
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (estimated)
• Ages: 18 Years and up
• Sex: Female
• Sponsor: University of California, San Francisco (other)
• Locations: 2 sites (Oakland, California and 1 other locations)
• Trial ID: NCT07069374 on ClinicalTrials.gov

What this trial studies

This pilot randomized intervention compares WISH, a behavioral program addressing coping strategies, HIV care engagement behaviors, and substance use management, with a movie-night attention- and time-matched control. It enrolls HIV-positive adults who report recent use of one or more substances and who are English-speaking and able to provide informed consent. The primary aims are to measure feasibility and acceptability and to collect preliminary signals on ART adherence, viral suppression, and retention in HIV care. Recruitment and activities occur at UCSF-affiliated MWCCS site offices in Oakland and San Francisco, excluding individuals with severe cognitive impairment or active psychosis.

Who should consider this trial

Good fit: Adults (18+) with HIV who report use of at least one listed substance in the past 90 days, speak English, can provide informed consent, and can attend visits in Oakland or San Francisco.

Not a fit: People without recent substance use, non–English speakers, those with severe cognitive impairment or active psychosis, or those unable to attend the San Francisco/Oakland sites are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could help people with HIV who use substances take their ART more consistently, increase viral suppression, and improve retention in care.

How similar studies have performed: Behavioral interventions to improve ART adherence among people who use drugs have shown mixed but promising results in prior research, and this pilot applies those approaches with a time-matched attention control.

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion Criteria:

• Participants must:

* Be at least 18 years of age
* Self-report biological characteristics consistent with the population under study
* Be HIV-positive
* Report use of at least one of the following substances in the last 90 days:

  * Cannabis
  * Methamphetamine
  * Cocaine/crack
  * Cocaine
  * Heroin
  * Non-prescribed opioids (e.g., fentanyl, morphine)
  * Ecstasy
  * Phencyclidine (PCP)
  * Psychedelics (e.g., Lysergic acid diethylamide, mescaline, ketamine)
  * Poppers (alkyl nitrites)
  * Non-prescribed benzodiazepines (e.g., Valium, Xanax, Klonopin, Librium)
  * Barbiturates
* Be English-speaking
* Be able and willing to provide informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

* Evidence of severe cognitive impairment or active psychosis that may impede ability to provide fully informed consent, determined by the research assistants and clinical supervisor(s)
* The research staff are trained on guidelines for identifying participants who exhibit signs of inability to meaningfully participate or provide consent due to mental illness or impairment

Where this trial is running

Oakland, California and 1 other locations

• Oakland MWCCS Site Office — Oakland, California, United States (RECRUITING)
• SF MWCCS Site Office — San Francisco, California, United States (RECRUITING)

Study contacts

• Principal investigator: Jennifer P Jain, PhD — University of California, San Francisco
• Study coordinator: Heather Freasier Project Director, MS

Conditions: HIV, Substance Use Disorder, Substance Use, Risk Reduction, Behavioral Intervention, Public Health, Intervention Program