Developing and Testing a Social Media mHealth Program to Help Adolescents and Young Adults With HIV Stay in Care in Uganda

What this Trial Is About

Adolescents and young adults with HIV AYWH aged 15 to 24 years are the fastest-growing group living with HIV worldwide and face worse outcomes than adults, with HIVAIDS being a leading cause of death and disability in this group. This research aims to develop and test a youth-friendly mobile health mHealth social media intervention to improve retention in HIV care, which may reduce AIDS-related deaths and new HIV transmissions. The study also supports the investigators training in research and clinical trial skills focused on AYWH in low-resource settings. The study will use a social media-based intervention delivered through WhatsApp modules designed to encourage behaviors that improve retention in care for AYWH. Participants will be randomly assigned either to start receiving the intervention immediately or to a wait-list control group, which will begin the intervention after six months. The intervention targets new or re-engaging AYWH in HIV care and considers different infection routes to tailor support. Participants will take part for at least 12 months during which researchers will assess how feasible and acceptable the intervention is and measure retention in care. Data will be gathered from AYWH who are new or returning to care, including their HIV knowledge, experiences, and challenges. The study includes language fluency assessments and smartphone access for some parts. Safety and consent abilities are monitored, and the study is conducted without blinding, allowing direct observation of participation and outcomes.

A Social Media Intervention to Improve Retention in Care for Adolescents and Young Adults With HIV in Uganda