Peers plus mobile app for treatment in HIV (PATH): protocol for a randomized controlled trial to test a community-based integrated peer support and mHealth intervention to improve viral suppression among Hispanic and Black people living with HIV

Background Significant disparities continue to exist in the HIV care continuum, whereby Hispanic and Black people living with HIV (PLWH) are less likely to achieve viral suppression compared to their White counterparts.

Studies have shown that intervention approaches that involve peer navigation may play an important role in supporting patients to stay engaged in HIV care.

However, implementation may be challenging in real-world settings where there are limited resources to support peer navigators.

Combining a peer navigation approach with scalable mobile health (mHealth) technology may improve impact and implementation outcomes.

Methods We combined a peer navigation intervention with a mHealth application and are conducting a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test the efficacy of this integrated “Peers plus mobile App for Treatment in HIV” (PATH) intervention to improve HIV care engagement, and ultimately sustained viral suppression, among Hispanic and Black PLWH.

We will enroll up to 375 PLWH into a two-arm prospective RCT, conducting follow-up assessments every 3 months up to 12 months post-baseline.

Participants randomized to the control arm will continue to receive usual care Ryan White Program case management services.

Individuals randomized to receive the PATH intervention will receive usual care plus access to two main intervention components: (1) a peer navigation program and (2) a mHealth web application.

The primary outcome is sustained HIV viral suppression (undetectable viral load observed at 6- and 12-month follow-up).

Secondary outcomes are retention in HIV care, gaps in HIV medical visits, and self-reported ART adherence.

Recruitment for the RCT began in November 2021 and will continue until June 2024.

Follow-up assessments and medical chart abstractions will be conducted to collect measurements of outcome variables.

Discussion The efficacy trial of PATH will help to fill gaps in our scientific understanding of how a combined peer navigation and mHealth approach may produce effects on HIV care outcomes while addressing potential implementation challenges of peer navigation in Ryan White-funded clinics.

Trial registration The PATH trial is registered at the United States National Institutes of Health National Library of Medicine (ClinicalTrials.gov) under ID # NCT05427318 .

Registered on 22 June 2022.