Traditional Healer-initiated HIV Counseling and Testing in South Africa

NCT05079347 | Completed Results

• 2 other identifiers: 2019771R34MH124496-01A1
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 418
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

The objective of this proposal is to conduct a pilot test of a program aimed at training traditional healers to conduct HIV testing and implementing HIV testing among people living in Bushbuckridge, South Africa. Pilot Healer-initiated HIV testing uptake and linkage to prevention services. Trust in allopathic health care and HIV stigma will be measured among participants at study enrollment and at month seven. Hypothesis: Healer-initiated HIV counseling and testing (HICT) will increase trust in allopathic health care and reduce HIV stigma.

Conditions

HIV Infection

Keywords

HIV testing; HIV stigma; Trust in health care provider

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Feasibility of Completing HIV Testing Training

  Percentage of healers who are able to complete the training program.

  1 month

• Uptake of HIV Testing

  the percentage of people who are accept testing/ approached to complete testing

  6 months

Study Arms (1)

Healer led HIV testing

EXPERIMENTAL

Traditional healers will offer HIV testing to their patients. They will provide the test result to patients. If the patient is positive they will refer their patients to the health facility via referral form and/or walk them to the clinic (based on patient preference). If the patient is negative, the healer will encourage them to re-test at the health facility in 6 months during an "open house" event where healers will attend to try and de-stigmatize going to the health facility.

Diagnostic Test: HIV rapid test

Interventions

HIV rapid test DIAGNOSTIC_TEST

Using a rapid test to assess a patient's HIV status

Healer led HIV testing

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Traditional healers \> 18 years of age, who are registered as traditional healers with the government of South Africa, are currently practicing in the Bushbuckridge area, and are trained to provide HIV testing.
• Biomedical practitioners \> 18 years of age, who are currently providing HIV-related health care services to patients at government or private health facilities in Bushbuckridge.
• Community members \> 18 years of age, who have not received an HIV test result in the past year and who currently live in Bushbuckridge.

You may not qualify if:

• Traditional healers who do not believe in HIV disease and those who can not pass their HIV counseling and testing certification.
• Biomedical practitioners who do not interact with patients seeking treatment for HIV.
• Community members who are not out sound mind or body during the recruitment (inebriated, too sick to leave the house) and community members with a previous positive HIV test result.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Vanderbilt University Medical Center: lead
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Thulamahashe Health Facility

Thulamahashi, Mpumalanga, South Africa

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

HIV Infections

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Blood-Borne Infections; Communicable Diseases; Infections; Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Viral; Sexually Transmitted Diseases; Lentivirus Infections; Retroviridae Infections; RNA Virus Infections; Virus Diseases; Genital Diseases; Urogenital Diseases; Immunologic Deficiency Syndromes; Immune System Diseases

Results Point of Contact

• Title: Carolyn Audet
• Organization: Vanderbilt University Medical Center

carolyn.m.audet@vumc.org

615-343-2418

Study Officials

• Carolyn Audet, PhD

  Vanderbilt University

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Publication Agreements

• PI is Sponsor Employee: No
• Restrictive Agreement: No

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: DIAGNOSTIC
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor of Preventive Medicine

Model Details: We will pilot the intervention with a small group of traditional healers who will offer HIV testing to their patients

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: October 1, 2021
• First Posted: October 15, 2021
• Study Start: July 22, 2022
• Primary Completion: September 1, 2023
• Study Completion: December 1, 2023
• Last Updated: October 18, 2024
• Results First Posted: October 9, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-10

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ZA (1)