Personalized Normative Feedback to Increase HIV Testing

NCT06969677 | Completed

• 2 other identifiers: 2013P000395_4R01MH125667
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 1,300
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Randomized trial to measure the effect of personalized normative feedback about local HIV testing rates and local rates of HIV-related stigma on self-reported HIV testing intentions and perceptions about others' HIV testing intentions.

Conditions

HIV Testing; HIV Stigma

Keywords

HIV testing; HIV stigma

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Self-reported HIV testing intention in the next 12 months

  Regarding yourself, how likely are you to go get tested for HIV in the next 12 months? (single item)

  Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)

Secondary Outcomes (2)

• Self-reported perception of HIV testing among men in one's village

  Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)

• Self-reported perception of HIV testing among women in one's village

  Baseline (assessed at the time the survey is administered)

Study Arms (4)

V1: Control Group

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific prompts. The first prompt states the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. No other norms-based information is provided. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their village, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group.

Other: Survey questionnaire

V2: PNF - Descriptive norms only

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The second treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with the true rates of HIV testing among men and women in their village, along with information that these rate are consistent across demographic groups. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rates of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their village, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group.

Other: Survey questionnaire

V3: PNF - Injunctive norms only

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The third treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with information about the true rates of HIV stigma in their village. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their community, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group.

Other: Survey questionnaire

V4: PNF - Descriptive and injunctive norms

EXPERIMENTAL

As this is a survey experiment, the "intervention" involves random assignment to a survey questionnaire with specific treatments. The fourth treatment is a survey-based questionnaire with a prompt stating the participant's perceived estimate (elicited previously during the survey) of HIV testing rates among single and married people in their village. Participants are then provided with information about the true rates of both HIV testing and HIV stigma in their village. Participants are then asked to report their likelihood of getting tested for HIV in the next 12 months, ranging from 1= I will definitely get tested to 5= I will definitely not get tested. Next they are asked to estimate the rate of HIV testing in the next 12 months among men and women in their community, ranging from 1 = All or almost all, at least 90% of group to 5= Very few, or no one, for example, less than 10% of group.

Other: Survey questionnaire

Interventions

Survey questionnaire OTHER

Each version of the questionnaire has similar questions about personal HIV testing intentions and perceived norms about other men and women's HIV testing intentions. The content of the prompt presented prior to the questions varies based on treatment arm. This version does not provide any normative feedback information.

V1: Control Group

Eligibility Criteria

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

You may qualify if:

• All adults who consider Nyakabare their primary place of residence and who are capable of providing consent

You may not qualify if:

• Minors younger than 18 years of age, with the exception of emancipated minors
• Persons who do not consider Nyakabare Parish their primary place of residence, e.g. persons who happen to be visiting Nyakabare at the time of the survey or who own a home in Nyakabare but spend most of their time outside of the parish
• Persons with psychosis, neurological damage, acute intoxication, or other cognitive impairment (all of which are determined informally in the field by non-clinical research staff in consultation with a supervisor)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Massachusetts General Hospital: lead
• Mbarara University of Science and Technology: collaborator
• National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH): collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Mbarara University of Science and Technology

Mbarara, Uganda

Location

MeSH Terms

Interventions

Surveys and Questionnaires

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Data Collection; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Health Care Evaluation Mechanisms; Quality of Health Care; Health Care Quality, Access, and Evaluation; Public Health; Environment and Public Health

Study Officials

• Alexander C Tsai, MD, PhD

  Massachusetts General Hospital

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: SINGLE
• Who Masked: PARTICIPANT
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Associate Professor of Psychiatry

Model Details: Study participants are randomly assigned to be read prompts with personalized normative feedback information with slight changes in content.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: May 5, 2025
• First Posted: May 14, 2025
• Study Start: November 2, 2023
• Primary Completion: January 6, 2025
• Study Completion: January 6, 2025
• Last Updated: May 14, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

UG (1)