HIPAA Compliant
ISO 27001 CertifiedActively Recruiting
Led by University of South Florida · Updated on 2026-04-08
2000
Participants Needed
1
Research Sites
N/A
Total Duration
Researchers are evaluating a persuasive health communication intervention designed to increase acceptance of HIV and Hepatitis C HCV screening among adult emergency department ED patients who initially declined testing. The study focuses on patients who currently, formerly, or never injected drugs and compares different delivery methods of this intervention. This investigation is conducted as a randomized controlled trial within the Mount Sinai Health System EDs, aiming to improve screening rates and assess cost-effectiveness. Participants will be randomly assigned to one of three groups watching a video with captions, watching a video without captions, or receiving the intervention from a health educator. The intervention is brief and designed to be easy to use with minimal training. This one-time encounter takes place in the ED, and participants may complete study activities within 30 minutes or remain in designated ED areas after discharge if needed. No follow-up visits are required. During the study, researchers will monitor the number of patients who accept HIVHCV testing after the intervention, comparing acceptance rates across groups and injection drug use history. Data collection is conducted using encrypted tablets, and participants will complete questionnaires during their ED visit. The study plans to enroll up to 2,000 adults, with minimal dropout expected due to the brief nature of the encounter. Safety and health economic assessments will also be part of the evaluation.
CONDITIONS
Persuasive Health Communication Intervention for HIV/HCV
R
Roland C Merchant, MD
Explore thousands of other clinical trials that might be a better match.
Sign up to get personalized trial recommendations delivered to your inbox.
Already have an account? Log in here
University of South Florida
Lead Sponsor
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Collaborating Sponsor
This table compares participation in this trial with other options available for this condition. The information is drawn from published research and the trial’s study details and is provided for educational purposes only.
| Factors | Video with captions | Video without captions | Health educator |
|---|---|---|---|
| What it is | A persuasive health messaging video that includes captions to encourage HIV/HCV screening. | A persuasive health messaging video without captions used to encourage HIV/HCV screening. | A persuasive health communication delivered in person by a health educator to encourage HIV/HCV screening. |
| Role in trial | One of three randomized delivery methods compared in parallel. | One of three randomized delivery methods compared in parallel. | One of three randomized delivery methods compared in parallel. |
| What it aims to do | To persuade ED patients who declined HIV/HCV testing to accept screening. | To persuade ED patients who declined HIV/HCV testing to accept screening. | To persuade ED patients who declined HIV/HCV testing to accept screening. |
| Delivery method | A brief video with captions is shown to the patient in the ED. | A brief video without captions is shown to the patient in the ED. | An in-person health educator delivers the persuasive message to the patient in the ED. |
| Existing evidence | Previously tested in pilot randomized trials showing increased acceptance of testing compared with control videos. | Previously tested in pilot randomized trials with similar aims; a non-caption video also increased testing acceptance compared with control, though differences were not always statistically significant. | Pilot randomized trials suggest in-person delivery by a health educator may increase testing acceptance compared with control video, although results varied. |
| Important risks | No safety risks identified; brief communication intervention. | No safety risks identified; brief communication intervention. | No safety risks identified; brief communication intervention. |
| Key limitations | Pilot evidence comes from small trials with limited sample sizes and may not generalize to broader ED populations. | Similar limitations apply: small pilot study sample sizes and uncertain generalizability. | Same as above: pilot data from limited sample sizes; results may vary in larger or different settings. |
| Patient impact | May increase the chance that ED patients who initially declined testing will accept HIV/HCV screening. | Could encourage more patients to accept testing compared to no intervention, but effect size is uncertain. | Could motivate uptake of HIV/HCV screening among those who previously declined, based on pilot data. |
Disclaimer: This comparison is created with the help of artificial intelligence(AI) and may contain errors or missing information. It is not medical advice and does not mean one option is better or safer than another. Clinical trials are still being studied, and joining a trial is your choice. Please consult your healthcare professional before making any decisions.
You may qualify if you...
You will not qualify if you...
Duration - 2 to 4 weeks
Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial.
1 visit (in-person) during emergency department stay
Duration - Less than 30 minutes
Participants receive a persuasive health communication intervention in the emergency department to encourage HIV and Hepatitis C screening.
1 one-time encounter during emergency department visit
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Masking
NONE
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Model
PARALLEL
Primary Purpose
HEALTH_SERVICES_RESEARCH
Number of Arms
3
Have more questions? Get in touch with our team for quick support
Roland C Merchant, Nancy Harrington, Melissa A Clark...
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/39134444/University of South Florida
Lead Sponsor
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Collaborating Sponsor
