NCT06412016

Brief Summary

The investigators are conducting a fully powered cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) of a culturally appropriate, multicomponent intervention combining peer nutritional counseling with urban gardening among people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) in the Dominican Republic (DR) to assess efficacy, analyze mediators of effects, and evaluate detailed process data to inform scale-up. The study will examine the impact of the intervention on participants' HIV clinical outcomes (HIV viral load, antiretroviral therapy adherence, and HIV care retention) as well as intermediate outcomes such as food security and HIV-related stigma.

Trial Health

75
On Track

Trial Health Score

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

Enrollment
433

participants targeted

Target at P50-P75 for not_applicable hiv

Timeline
14mo left

Started Jun 2024

Typical duration for not_applicable hiv

Geographic Reach
1 country

20 active sites

Status
active not recruiting

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

Trial Relationships

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Study Timeline

Key milestones and dates

Study Progress62%
Jun 2024Jun 2027

First Submitted

Initial submission to the registry

May 8, 2024

Completed
6 days until next milestone

First Posted

Study publicly available on registry

May 14, 2024

Completed
1 month until next milestone

Study Start

First participant enrolled

June 14, 2024

Completed
2.7 years until next milestone

Primary Completion

Last participant's last visit for primary outcome

March 1, 2027

Expected
4 months until next milestone

Study Completion

Last participant's last visit for all outcomes

June 30, 2027

Last Updated

January 14, 2026

Status Verified

January 1, 2026

Enrollment Period

2.7 years

First QC Date

May 8, 2024

Last Update Submit

January 13, 2026

Conditions

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

  • Change in HIV viral load

    Change in viral load

    Change in viral load between baseline and months 6, 12, and 18

Secondary Outcomes (2)

  • Antiretroviral therapy adherence

    6, 12 and 18 months

  • HIV care retention

    6, 12, and 18 months

Other Outcomes (3)

  • Food Insecurity

    6, 12 and 18 months

  • Internalized HIV Stigma

    6, 12 and 18 months

  • Experienced HIV Stigma (Discrimination)

    6, 12 and 18 months

Study Arms (2)

Peer Nutritional Counseling + Urban Gardening

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the intervention clinics will receive: 1) nutritional counseling from peer counselors in their clinic (4 sessions administered); 2) training from the Ministry of Agriculture on how to plant and maintain a garden in their home (2 group training workshops and monthly individual follow-up); 3) low-cost tanks for water storage to participants whose communities only have water on certain days; 4) access to community gardens; and 5) two cooking and nutrition workshops.

Behavioral: Peer Nutritional Counseling + Urban Gardening

Usual Care Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the control clinics will receive their usual care from the clinic. After 18-month follow-up, they will be offered the opportunity to receive the intervention.

Interventions

Peer nutritional counseling and urban gardens

Peer Nutritional Counseling + Urban Gardening

Eligibility Criteria

Age18 Years+
Sexall
Healthy VolunteersNo
Age GroupsAdult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

  • registered at one of the 20 HIV clinics in the study;
  • age 18 or older;
  • having initiated ART at least 6 months ago;
  • detectable viral load in the previous 12 months based on medical records and/or evidence of adherence problems (missed clinic visits, delays in picking up antiretrovirals);
  • moderate or severe household food insecurity
  • physically able to plant and maintain an urban garden; stable housing and space for a garden (subjectively assessed by participants after hearing a description of what is involved)
  • planned residency in the local area for the duration of the study

You may not qualify if:

  • Does not meet above criteria

Contact the study team to confirm eligibility.

Sponsors & Collaborators

Study Sites (20)

Hospital Taiwan 19 de marzo

Azua, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Nuestra Señora de la Altagracia

Higüey, 23000, Dominican Republic

Location

CPN Las Cinco Casas

Monte Plata, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Nuestra Señora de Regla

Peravia, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Ricardo Limardo

Puerto Plata, 57000, Dominican Republic

Location

SAI Veron

Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Leopoldo Pou

Samaná, 32000, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Juan Pablo Pina

San Cristóbal, 91000, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital San Vicente de Paul

San Francisco de Macorís, 31000, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Dr. Alejandro Cabral

San Juan de la Maguana, Dominican Republic

Location

Centro de Salud Integral Bella Vista

Santiago de los Caballeros, 51000, Dominican Republic

Location

Centro Especializado de Atención de Salud Juan XXIII

Santiago de los Caballeros, 51000, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital José María Cabral y Báez

Santiago de los Caballeros, 51000, Dominican Republic

Location

Instituto Dominicano de Estudios Virológicos IDEV

Santo Domingo, 10103, Dominican Republic

Location

Centro Sanitario de Santo Domingo

Santo Domingo, 10201, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Dr Luis Eduardo Aybar

Santo Domingo, 10306, Dominican Republic

Location

SAI Activo 20-30

Santo Domingo, 10306, Dominican Republic

Location

Centro de Orientación e Investigación Integral COIN

Santo Domingo, 10410, Dominican Republic

Location

AID for AIDS-Tu Salud

Santo Domingo Este, Dominican Republic

Location

Hospital Dr. Vinicio Calventi

Santo Domingo Oeste, Dominican Republic

Location

Study Officials

  • Kathryn P Derose, PhD, MPH

    University of Massachusetts, Amherst

    PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

Study Type
interventional
Phase
not applicable
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Masking
SINGLE
Who Masked
OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
Masking Details
Analytic database will not have any indication of intervention or control group assignment
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE CARE
Intervention Model
PARALLEL
Sponsor Type
OTHER
Responsible Party
SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

First Submitted

May 8, 2024

First Posted

May 14, 2024

Study Start

June 14, 2024

Primary Completion (Estimated)

March 1, 2027

Study Completion (Estimated)

June 30, 2027

Last Updated

January 14, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-01

Data Sharing

IPD Sharing
Will share

The final dataset will include self-reported, biometric, chart abstraction, pharmacy refill, and clinical outcome variables. Following publication of the main paper(s) for this study and the grant end-date, the investigators will make the data publicly available in the form of an electronic database for researchers who successfully complete a registration process. Data will be de-identified and will not contain any direct identifiers or indirect identifiers. The investigators will provide documentation in the form of a codebook in which each variable name and response options are defined. As part of the registration process, users must agree to the conditions of use governing access to the public release data, including restrictions against attempting to identify study participants, destruction of the data after analyses are completed, reporting responsibilities, restrictions on redistribution of the data to third parties, and proper acknowledgement of the data resource.

Shared Documents
SAP
Time Frame
Data will become available after publication of study results, approximately 2032 for five years
Access Criteria
Users must submit brief proposals regarding intended use of the data; the study team will determine the scientific soundness of the proposal, as well as whether adequate data protections in place, as part of the decision for the researcher to be able to access the public use dataset.

Locations