Couples
PARTI: Optimizing PrEP Adherence in Sexual Minority Men Who Use Stimulants
Investigators: Adam Carrico (PI, University of Miami), Mallory Johnson (PI); Susanne Lewis (University of Miami), Steven Safren (University of Miami), Judith Moskowitz (Northwestern University), Monica Gandhi, Tor Neilands, Kimberly Page (University of New Mexico)
Stimulant use is a key obstacle to PrEP adherence and persistence. This multi-site randomized controlled trial (RCT) is among the first to test a behavioral intervention for achieving increases in PrEP adherence among stimulant-using people. The PARTI Study will enroll up to 300 people assigned male at birth on PrEP in Florida and California who report stimulant use (methamphetamine, cocaine or crack) to test whether delivering a positive affect intervention during smartphone-based contingency management for directly observed PrEP doses achieves greater reductions in HIV acquisition risk over 12 months. Smartphone-based contingency management is a potentially scalable intervention that will be augmented by a brief, evidence-based positive affect intervention. Findings from this RCT can help the targeted distribution of public health funding to reduce HIV incidence in this marginalized, underserved population of stimulant-using people.
DuoPACT: A Couples-Based Approach to Improving Engagement in HIV Care
Investigators: Mallory Johnson (PI); Monica Gandhi, Tor Neilands, Kimberly Koester, Kristi Gamarel
Social support, particularly in the context of primary romantic relationships, has consistently been documented as a predictor of health behaviors, including adherence to care for HIV and other conditions. As such, couples-based interventions have the potential to create a lasting effect on engagement in HIV care, uptake and adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV prevention, and other health behaviors among sexual and gender minority primary relationships. DuoPACT is a randomized controlled trial comparing virologic outcomes of HIV sero discordant and sero concordant positive, sexual and gender minority couples randomized to a couple-level intervention or to an individual intervention. Study accrual and follow up are complete. Data analysis is in progress.
DuoPACT Stigma Paper. A Mixed-Methods Study of Relationship Stigma and Well-Being Among Sexual and Gender Minority Couples.
Investigators: Kristi Gamarel, Willi Farrales, Luz Venegas, Samantha Dilworth, Lara Coffin, Tor Neilands, Mallory Johnson, Kimberly Koester
To support analysis of DuoPACT’s “relationship stigma” data, defined as the anticipated feelings of violence, discrimination, or rejection from family, friends, and others as a result of one’s romantic relationship due to heteronormative and cis-normative models of relationships that pervade societies, qualitative interviews were completed with a subset of study participants. The interviews helped us to better understand the nuanced domains of relationship stigma and whether and how these different forms of stigma manifest in and impact participants’ relationships.
Title: A mixed-methods study of relationship stigma and well-being among sexual and gender minority couples.
Couples-Focused Intervention to Improve Engagement in HIV Care: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial
Investigators: Laura Coffin, David Olem, Tor Neilands, Mallory Johnson
To support analysis of DuoPACT’s “relationship stigma” data, defined as the anticipated feelings of violence, discrimination, or rejection from family, friends, and others as a result of one’s romantic relationship due to heteronormative and cis-normative models of relationships that pervade societies, qualitative interviews were completed with a subset of study participants. The interviews will help us to better understand the nuanced domains of relationship stigma and whether and how these different forms of stigma manifest in and impact participants’ relationships.