Streamlined Treatment and Evidence-based Adolescent Counseling and Medication Support (STREAMS)

Streamlined Treatment and Evidence-based Adolescent Counseling and Medication Support (STREAMS)

Combination interventions to address mental health and adherence to HIV care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs), are crucial to achieving the UNAIDS 95-95-95 targets as one in four adolescents living with HIV (ALWHIV) experience poor mental health and this contributes to suboptimal medication adherence and lack of viral suppression. Yet few evidence-based mental health and adherence interventions have been evaluated in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), the region where the majority of the 1.7 million ALWHIV reside. STREAMS will determine if our streamlined combination intervention approach to mental health screening, provision of evidence-based interpersonal psychotherapy groups (IPT-G), and evidence-based family strengthening, and medication counseling is feasible and efficacious for ALWHIV in Uganda.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Living with HIV with confirmation by medical report and aware of their status
• Living within a family (defined broadly, not necessarily with biological parents); - - Between the ages of 15 to 19 years
• Prescribed ART
• Score a 10 or greater on the PHQ-9

Exclusion Criteria:

• an inability to understand study procedures and participant rights as assessed during informed consent/assent process with the adolescent or caregiver.