NCT03511131

Brief Summary

This pragmatic trial of an HIV prevention program focuses on HIV risk-reduction in men who have sex with men (MSM) ages 13-18. The design is a three-tiered, internet-based HIV prevention intervention series that uses a sequential multiple assignment randomized trial (SMART) to track adolescent MSM reporting varying degree of sexual risk.The program package includes: (1-low risk) a universally-delivered, brief, online sexual health education program designed for sexual and gender minority youth regardless of whether they are sexually active (Queer Sex Ed); (2-middle risk) a more intensive online intervention designed for diverse AMSM engaging in HIV transmission risk behaviors (Keep It Up!), and (3-high risk) the most intensive is a motivational interviewing (MI) intervention that will be delivered by MI therapists via online videochat (Young Men's Health Project).

Trial Health

87
On Track

Trial Health Score

Automated assessment based on enrollment pace, timeline, and geographic reach

Enrollment
1,306

participants targeted

Target at P75+ for not_applicable hiv

Timeline
Completed

Started Apr 2018

Typical duration for not_applicable hiv

Geographic Reach
1 country

1 active site

Status
completed

Health score is calculated from publicly available data and should be used for screening purposes only.

Trial Relationships

Click on a node to explore related trials.

Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

March 29, 2018

Completed
20 days until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

April 18, 2018

Completed
9 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

April 27, 2018

Completed
3.6 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

December 12, 2021

Completed
Same day until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

December 12, 2021

Completed
Last Updated

August 12, 2022

Status Verified

August 1, 2022

Enrollment Period

3.7 years

First QC Date

March 29, 2018

Last Update Submit

August 11, 2022

Conditions

Keywords

HIV preventionAdolescent risk-taking behaviors

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (3)

  • Condomless anal sex

    Changes in condomless anal sex acts from baseline to 12-months.

    12-months

  • Condom Use Intentions Scale

    This is a multi-item scale which asks participants about their plans and abilities to use condoms in the future. It has two subscales. The first subscale (Condom Use) asks about participants' likelihood to use condoms with partners. An example item for Condom Use is: "How likely is it that you will use a condom every time you have sex?" The 11-items for this subscale are measured from very unlikely (1) to very likely (4) \[averaged min value 1, averaged max value 4\]. High values mean a better outcome, or likely condom use with partners. The second subscale (Self-Efficacy) asks participants' ability to use condoms. An example item for Self-Efficacy is: "How confident are you that you would be able to be sure you had condoms with you?" The 5-items for this subscale are measured from not at all confident (1) to extremely confident (7) \[averaged min value 1, averaged max value 7\]. High values mean a better outcome, or more confidence at using condoms. The two subscales are not combined.

    12-months

  • HIV Testing

    Participants are asked to self-reported their history of actual getting HIV tested.

    12-months

Secondary Outcomes (3)

  • HIV Knowledge

    Months: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12

  • HIV/AIDS Motivation and Behavioral Skills

    Months: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12

  • Condom Errors

    Months: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12

Other Outcomes (1)

  • PrEP Knowledge/Experience

    Months: 0, 3, 6, 9, 12

Study Arms (8)

QSE Resp (Only follow)

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who responded to QSE, were randomized at month-6 to no additional treatment, and then followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex Ed

QSE Resp (KIU at 6-month)

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who responded to QSE, were randomized at month-6 to receive Keep It Up (KIU), and then followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It Up

QSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control Resp

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who did not respond to QSE, were randomized at month-3 to receive Keep It Up-Control (KIU-Control), responded to KIU-Control at month-6, and then were followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It Up-Control

QSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control Non-Resp, KIU

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who did not respond to QSE, were randomized at month-3 to receive Keep It Up-Control (KIU-Control), did not respond to KIU-Control at month-6, and so were randomized into Keep It Up (KIU). After KIU, they were followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It UpBehavioral: Keep It Up-Control

QSE Non-Resp, KIU Control Non-Resp, YMHP

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who did not respond to QSE, were randomized at month-3 to receive Keep It Up-Control (KIU-Control), did not respond to KIU-Control at month-6, and so were randomized into Young Men's Health Project (YMHP). After YMHP, they were followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It Up-ControlBehavioral: Young Men's Health Project

QSE Non-Resp, KIU Resp

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who did not respond to QSE, were randomized at month-3 to receive Keep It Up (KIU), responded to KIU at month-6, and then were followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It Up

QSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-Resp

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who did not respond to QSE, were randomized at month-3 to receive Keep It Up (KIU), did not respond to KIU at month-6, and then were randomized into no treatment/just follow for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It Up

QSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-Resp, YMHP

OTHER

All participants enter Queer Sex Ed (QSE) and are measured at 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12-months. This arm is comprised of participants who did not respond to QSE, were randomized at month-3 to receive Keep It Up (KIU), did not respond to KIU at month-6, and then were randomized into Young Men's Health Project. After YMHP, they were followed for the rest of the study.

Behavioral: Queer Sex EdBehavioral: Keep It UpBehavioral: Young Men's Health Project

Interventions

Queer Sex EdBEHAVIORAL

Comprehensive sexual health education program condition (Informational)

Also known as: QSE, SMART Sex Ed
QSE Non-Resp, KIU Control Non-Resp, YMHPQSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-RespQSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-Resp, YMHPQSE Non-Resp, KIU RespQSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control Non-Resp, KIUQSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control RespQSE Resp (KIU at 6-month)QSE Resp (Only follow)
Keep It UpBEHAVIORAL

Culturally/situation-relevant HIV-prevention experimental condition (Motivational/behavioral)

Also known as: KIU, SMART Squad
QSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-RespQSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-Resp, YMHPQSE Non-Resp, KIU RespQSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control Non-Resp, KIUQSE Resp (KIU at 6-month)

HIV knowledge control condition, attention-matched to KIU (Informational)

Also known as: KIU-Control, SMART Sex Ed 2.0
QSE Non-Resp, KIU Control Non-Resp, YMHPQSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control Non-Resp, KIUQSE Non-Resp, KIU-Control Resp

Motivational enhancement video interviewing condition (Motivational/behavioral)

Also known as: YMHP, SMART Sessions
QSE Non-Resp, KIU Control Non-Resp, YMHPQSE Non-Resp, KIU Non-Resp, YMHP

Eligibility Criteria

Age13 Years - 18 Years
Sexmale(Gender-based eligibility)
Gender Eligibility DetailsMale-assigned at birth
Healthy VolunteersYes
Age GroupsChild (0-17), Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

  • identifying as male-assigned at birth
  • reporting attraction to men;
  • years old
  • self-reported HIV-negative at the beginning of the study (or have never been HIV tested/do not know their HIV status)
  • able to read English or Spanish,
  • has a usable e-mail address, textable phone number, and access to the internet or smart-phone/-device

You may not qualify if:

  • identifying as female-assigned at birth
  • reporting no attraction men
  • identifying as under 13 years of age
  • identifying as 19 years old or older
  • self-reported HIV-positive
  • unable to read English or Spanish
  • unable to have access to or use email, text messaging, voice calling
  • unable to have access to the internet or a smart-phone/-device

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (1)

Northwestern University

Chicago, Illinois, 60611, United States

Location

Related Publications (7)

  • Yellin H, Wang Y, Huebner DM, Rodriguez-Diaz CE, Macapagal K, Newcomb ME, Mustanski B, Ruiz MS. An empirical test of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills model of willingness and intention to use HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among adolescent men who have sex with men. Ann Behav Med. 2025 Jan 4;59(1):kaaf070. doi: 10.1093/abm/kaaf070.

  • Mustanski B, Macapagal K, Li DH, Rodriguez-Diaz CE, Saber R, Matson M, Moskowitz DA, Rendina HJ, Laber E, Ryan DT, Newcomb ME. Effectiveness of the smart program: Stepped-care HIV prevention for gay and bisexual adolescent boys. Health Psychol. 2025 Mar;44(3):321-331. doi: 10.1037/hea0001471.

  • Sinno J, Macapagal K, Mustanski B. Social Media and Online Dating Safety Practices by Adolescent Sexual and Gender Diverse Men: Mixed-Methods Findings From the SMART Study. J Adolesc Health. 2024 Jan;74(1):113-122. doi: 10.1016/j.jadohealth.2023.07.030. Epub 2023 Oct 4.

  • Xavier Hall CD, Wood CV, Hurtado M, Moskowitz DA, Dyar C, Mustanski B. Identifying leaks in the STEM recruitment pipeline among sexual and gender minority US secondary students. PLoS One. 2022 Jun 3;17(6):e0268769. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0268769. eCollection 2022.

  • Moskowitz DA, Moran KO, Matson M, Alvarado-Avila A, Mustanski B. The PrEP Cascade in a National Cohort of Adolescent Men Who Have Sex With Men. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr. 2021 Apr 15;86(5):536-543. doi: 10.1097/QAI.0000000000002613.

  • Mustanski B, Moskowitz DA, Moran KO, Newcomb ME, Macapagal K, Rodriguez-Diaz C, Rendina HJ, Laber EB, Li DH, Matson M, Talan AJ, Cabral C. Evaluation of a Stepped-Care eHealth HIV Prevention Program for Diverse Adolescent Men Who Have Sex With Men: Protocol for a Hybrid Type 1 Effectiveness Implementation Trial of SMART. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020 Aug 11;9(8):e19701. doi: 10.2196/19701.

  • Mustanski B, Moskowitz DA, Moran KO, Rendina HJ, Newcomb ME, Macapagal K. Factors Associated With HIV Testing in Teenage Men Who Have Sex With Men. Pediatrics. 2020 Mar;145(3):e20192322. doi: 10.1542/peds.2019-2322. Epub 2020 Feb 11.

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Acquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAdolescent BehaviorSafe Sex

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

HIV InfectionsBlood-Borne InfectionsCommunicable DiseasesInfectionsSexually Transmitted Diseases, ViralSexually Transmitted DiseasesLentivirus InfectionsRetroviridae InfectionsRNA Virus InfectionsVirus DiseasesSlow Virus DiseasesGenital DiseasesUrogenital DiseasesImmunologic Deficiency SyndromesImmune System DiseasesBehaviorSexual Behavior

Study Officials

  • Brian Mustanski, PhD

    Northwestern University

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
  • Maggie Matson, MPH

    Northwestern University

    STUDY DIRECTOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
PARTICIPANT
Purpose
PREVENTION
Intervention Model
SEQUENTIAL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
PI Title
Professor, Medical Social Sciences

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

March 29, 2018

First Posted

April 27, 2018

Study Start

April 18, 2018

Primary Completion

December 12, 2021

Study Completion

December 12, 2021

Last Updated

August 12, 2022

Record last verified: 2022-08

Locations