Behavioral Economic Intervention to Improve HIV Behaviors in Sexual Minority Individuals

Development of a Behavioral Economic Intervention to Improve HIV-related Behaviors Among Sexual Minority Individuals

This research study is testing a new behavioral therapy called Episodic Future Thinking or EFT can help people reduce drug use and risky sexual behaviors while helping them adhere to their HIV prevention medication (PrEP). Participants will be randomly assigned to one of two groups. One group will receive standard care, which includes counseling on HIV prevention, drug use reduction, and sexual health. The other group will receive standard care plus a new program called Episodic Future Thinking (EFT), where participants will think about and plan for their future goals using a mobile app and counseling sessions. Study procedures that are not part of regular care include filling out surveys, providing blood, urine, and swab samples for testing, and using the EFT app.

Phase 1 of the study will involve a formative evaluation of the Episodic Future Thinking (EFT) intervention among (n=10) sexual minority individuals (SMIs) utilizing qualitative interviews. (This phase of the study data will not be reported on ClinicalTrials.gov, since it is not part of the randomized controlled trial).

Phase 2 of the study will utilize a two-arm pilot randomized controlled trial of Episodic Future Thinking plus standard of care (intervention) vs. standard of care only (control) condition to improved HIV-related behaviors (PrEP adherence, sexual risk behaviors and methamphetamine use) among sexual minority individuals.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Adults 18 - 34 years of age
• HIV negative (assessed via Rapid HIV Antibody Test)
• Identify as gay, or bisexual
• Recent (past 3 months) methamphetamine use
• Currently prescribed and taking HIV PrEP medication
• Self-reported HIV PrEP nonadherence in the past three months
• Urine screen test for PrEP nonadherence
• Self-reported condomless anal sex or a STI in the past three months
• Able to attend all study visits
• Fluent in English

Exclusion Criteria:

• Currently receiving treatment for any substance use disorder,
• HIV positive
• Having a medical or psychiatric illness that in the opinion of the PI would interfere with study participation
• Unable to provide informed consent
• Unable to attend protocol directed study visits
• Any plans that would preclude study completion (e.g. surgery, major medical treatments such as chemotherapy, incarceration, travel/moving out of San Antonio, Texas)