HIV in MSMESTEEM-conneCTNCT03464422
Adapting an Evidence-based Intervention for Stigma-related Stress, Mental Health, and HIV Risk for MSM of Color in Small Urban Areas
A study testing ESTEEM conneCT in people with HIV in MSM, run by Yale University at 1 site in United States.
Trial summary
The purpose of this study is adapt an evidence-based intervention for stigma-related stress, mental health, and HIV risk for bay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) of color in small urban areas. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 35 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- HIV in MSM
- What is being tested?
- ESTEEM conneCT
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 21 participants
- Where
- 1 siteUnited States
- Study dates
- 9 Sep 2018to 1 Aug 2019
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Yes, posted in the registrySummary in the doctors' view
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 35 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Participants must:
- Report anticipated 6-month residential stability in New Haven county
- Self-identify as a gay or bisexual man or report being a man who has had past-12-month sex with a man
- Self-identify as an ethnic or racial minority, including Black, African American, Caribbean American, Hispanic, and Latinx
- Speak fluent English
Who cannot join
- Participants not meeting the inclusion criteria will not be eligible to participate.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Adapting an Evidence-based Intervention for Stigma-related Stress, Mental Health, and HIV Risk for MSM of Color in Small Urban Areas (ESTEEM-conneCT)
The purpose of this study is adapt an evidence-based intervention for stigma-related stress, mental health, and HIV risk for bay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) of color in small urban areas.
Read the detailed description
This study has two specific aims. Aim 1 will focus on the modification of an existing intervention manual (created by the study PI) using feedback from previous qualitative interviews with MSM in New Haven and Hartford, CT. Also incorporated will be recent qualitative research on MSM of color's resilience. Specifically, the ways in which racial minority stigma impacts the mental health of MSM in small urban areas and adaptive coping skills that MSM can use in the face of these health threats.
Aim 2, will consist of the deliver of the adapted intervention to approximately 30 young MSM (15 HIV-negative and 15 HIV-positive) to gather data on the feasibility and acceptability of the newly adapted program. The evaluation of the new program will be conducted using pre-post comparisons of quantitative assessments and from qualitative interviews hoped to provide information regarding intervention feasibility, acceptability, and any needed refinement.
This project integrates expertise in culturally-sensitive evidence-based interventions for MSM's HIV risk into a community-based HIV prevention and care context at the Fair Haven Community Health Center, where the intervention will be delivered to the existing patient population.
As of April, 2019, the study protocol was updated and approved by the Yale IRB such that the two intervention cohorts did not differ by HIV serostatus. This decision was made: (1) because of the greater number of HIV-negative men, compared to HIV-positive men, who expressed interest in the study and (2) because participants could decide whether or not to disclose their serostatus in the group, as they do in other real-life interactions with other MSM, as reviewed during the consent process. Thus, there was no group assignment based on HIV serostatus.
- Conditions
- HIV in MSM
- Being tested
- ESTEEM conneCT
- Keywords
- HIV, MSM
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
ESTEEM conneCTBehavioural
The intervention adapts the ESTEEM (Pachankis et al, 2015) intervention to address the multiple-stigma stressors faced by MSM of color, including sexual orientation and racial stigma in a manualized, CBT-based intervention. Approximately thirty participants (divided between two cohorts) will complete ten group sessions will take place at regular times once per week over the course of three months. The groups will be "closed," in that no new members will be allowed to join after the first week in order to promote open self-disclosure and trust among group members.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Young gay and bisexual men of color | Experimental | Approximately 30 young MSM of color will take part in weekly 90-minute group treatment sessions over 10 weeks. All participants will complete outcome assessments at baseline and three months post-treatment, as well as an exit interview. Receives: Behavioral: ESTEEM conneCT |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Depression
To measure depression in participants, the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale (CES-D) will be used. An overall depression score is computed as the sum of the 20 items, with Items 3, 11, 14, and 16 reversed. In cases with internally missing data (items not answered), the sums were computed after imputation of the missing values: # items on scale / # actually answered, multiplied by the sum obtained from the answered items. A higher score indicates more depressive symptomatology during the past week. Range is 0 - 60.
Measured: 3 months
HIV Transmission Risk
Risk of HIV transmission was assessed through the Past-90-day Timeline Follow-back interview (TLFB; Sobell \& Sobell, 1992). HIV risk behavior was calculated as the number of past-90-day sex acts in which key harm-reduction strategies were not employed (e.g., condom, PrEP, viral load suppression) and calculated by dividing the total number of sex acts at risk for HIV transmission by the total number of sex acts. Sex acts range from 0 to (theoretically) infinite.
Measured: 90 days
Secondary outcomes (10)
Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale
ODSIS (Bentley et al., 2014) is a 5-item scale that asks individuals to rate the severity and impairment associated with past-week symptoms of depression (e.g., "In the past week, when you have felt depressed, how intense or severe was your depression?) from 0 (little or none: Depression was absent or barely noticeable.) to 4 (extreme: Depression was overwhelming.). Scores range from 0-20, with higher scores indicating greater depression and associated impairment in the past week.
Measured: 3 months
Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale
OASIS (Norman et al., 2006) is a 5-item scale that asks individuals to rate the severity and impairment associated with past-week anxiety symptoms (e.g., "In the past week, when you have felt anxious, how intense or severe was your anxiety?") from 0 (little or none: Anxiety was absent or barely noticeable.) to 4 (extreme: Anxiety was overwhelming. It was impossible to relax at all. Physical symptoms were unbearable). Scores range from 0-20, with higher scores indicating greater anxiety and associated impairment in the past week.
Measured: 3 months
Brief Symptom Inventory
(BSI; Derogatis \& Melisarators, 1983; Meijer et al., 2011). The Global Severity Index of the 18-item BSI provides a mean score across depression, anxiety, and somatization subscales, and assesses psychological distress (e.g., "feeling nervousness or shakiness inside") on a 5-point scale from 0 (not at all) to 4 (extremely) in the past 7 days. Scores range from 0-72, with higher scores indicating worse outcomes (greater symptoms severity).
Measured: 3 months
Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale
SIDAS (van Spijker et al., 2014) is a 5-item scale that assesses past-month frequency and controllability of suicidal thoughts, how close one has come to making an attempt, and distress and impairment associated with thoughts of suicide (e.g., "In the past month, how often have you had thoughts about suicide?"). Responses range from 0 (never or not at all) to 10 (always or extremely) on each item, with item 2 reverse scored. Scale scores range from 0-50, with higher scores indicating more (worse) suicidal ideation
Measured: 3 months
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
The AUDIT (Saunders et al.,1993) assesses past-3-month alcohol and related problems across 10 items (e.g., "How often did you have a drink containing alcohol?") with varying numeric response options. A score of 8 or greater serves as a clinical cut-off indicating hazardous drinking. Scores range from 0-40 with higher scores indicating more hazardous drinking (worse outcome)
Measured: 3 months
Condom-use Self-Efficacy Questionnaire
The SSSEQ assesses respondents' confidence in condom use during sex in different scenarios. Example items include, "How confident are you that you could avoid having anal sex without a condom when you are with someone who is really hot?" and "How confident are you that you could avoid having anal sex without a condom when you are drink or high on drugs?". Response options range from 1 (Not at all confident) to 5 (extremely confident). Scores range from 1 - 65 with higher scores indicating greater self-efficacy around practicing safe sex (better outcome)
Measured: 3 months
Sexual Compulsivity Scale
The SCS (Kalichman \& Rompa, 2011) assesses respondents' compulsivity around sex. Example items include "My desires to have sex have disrupted my daily life" and "My sexual thoughts and behaviors are causing problems in my life", with response options ranging from 1 (Not at all like me) to 4 (Very much like me). Scores range from 1 - 40 with higher scores indicating greater sexual compulsivity (worse outcome)
Measured: 3 months
Gay-Related Rejection Sensitivity Scale
The GRRS (Pachankis, Goldfried \& Ramrattan, 2008) asks respondents to rate 14 vignettes in terms of how concerned or anxious each would make them about being rejected because of their sexual orientation, and their likelihood of attributing the rejection to their sexual orientation. For example, one item states, "You've been dating someone for a few years now and you receive a wedding invitation to a straight friend's wedding. The invite was addressed only to you, not you and a guest". Responses to the anxiety and likelihood stems range from 1 (very unconcerned/very unlikely) to 6 (very concerned/very likely). Total score is the sum of the products of anxiety and likelihood scores of all items and ranges from 0-504 with higher scores indicating greater rejection sensitivity (worse outcome).
Measured: 3 months
Self-concealment Scale
The SCS (Larson \& Chastain, 1990; Schrimshaw, Siegel, Downing \& Parsons, 2013) assesses the respondents' concealment of their sexual orientation. Example items include, "I haven't shared with anyone that I have sex with men" and "When I have sex with men, I keep it to myself". Response options range from 1 (strongly disagree) to 5 (strongly agree). Scale scores range from 7-35 with higher scores indicating greater concealment of one's sexual orientation.
Measured: 3 months
Internalized Homophobia Scale
The IHS assesses internalized stigma related to respondents' sexual orientation, asking them to rate thoughts and feelings related to their LGBTQ identity (e.g., "You have wished you weren't gay, bisexual, or queer). Responses range from 1 (never) to 4 (often). Scale scores range from 9 - 36 with higher scores indicating greater internalized stigma (worse outcome).
Measured: 3 months
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted14 Mar 2018
- Study start9 Sep 2018
- Primary completion1 Aug 2019
- Study completion1 Aug 2019
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, outcome measures and adverse events reported by the sponsor.
- Other trials for HIV in MSMStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by Yale UniversityThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- Adaptation of the Effective Skills to Empower Effect Men (ESTEEM; Pachankis, 2014; Pachankis et al, 2015) intervention that addresses young gay and bisexual men's occurring maladaptive behavioral patterns, including HIV-transmission risk behavior and mental health concerns, to address multiple stigma-related stressors for young gay and bisexual men of color in a group therapy format. All participants were part of the same intervention (no randomization) to assess the feasibility and acceptability of this adapted intervention (protocol update 4.24.2019; please see attached protocol). Two cohorts were formed to retain ideal group size for group therapy (10-15 participants per group).
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Yale University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
- Investigators
- John Pachankis, PhD, Principal investigator, Yale University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03464422
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2000022422
- Other IDs
- P30MH062294-11
- Acronym
- ESTEEM-conneCT
- Status last verified
- Jul 2021
- First submitted
- 7 Mar 2018
- Last updated
- 4 Aug 2021
- Results posted
- Yes, on ClinicalTrials.gov
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 4 Aug 2021. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Adapting an Evidence-based Intervention for Stigma-related Stress, Mental Health, and HIV Risk for MSM of Color in Small Urban Areas (ESTEEM-conneCT)
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT03464422
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ESTEEM-conneCT / 2000022422
- Conditions
- HIV in MSM
- Keywords
- HIV, MSM
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 21 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Yale UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
- Study start
- 9 Sep 2018 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 1 Aug 2019 (actual)
- Study completion
- 1 Aug 2019 (actual)
- First posted
- 14 Mar 2018 (actual)
- Results
- Posted 4 Aug 2021
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
The purpose of this study is adapt an evidence-based intervention for stigma-related stress, mental health, and HIV risk for bay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM) of color in small urban areas.
Detailed description
This study has two specific aims. Aim 1 will focus on the modification of an existing intervention manual (created by the study PI) using feedback from previous qualitative interviews with MSM in New Haven and Hartford, CT. Also incorporated will be recent qualitative research on MSM of color's resilience. Specifically, the ways in which racial minority stigma impacts the mental health of MSM in small urban areas and adaptive coping skills that MSM can use in the face of these health threats.
Aim 2, will consist of the deliver of the adapted intervention to approximately 30 young MSM (15 HIV-negative and 15 HIV-positive) to gather data on the feasibility and acceptability of the newly adapted program. The evaluation of the new program will be conducted using pre-post comparisons of quantitative assessments and from qualitative interviews hoped to provide information regarding intervention feasibility, acceptability, and any needed refinement.
This project integrates expertise in culturally-sensitive evidence-based interventions for MSM's HIV risk into a community-based HIV prevention and care context at the Fair Haven Community Health Center, where the intervention will be delivered to the existing patient population.
As of April, 2019, the study protocol was updated and approved by the Yale IRB such that the two intervention cohorts did not differ by HIV serostatus. This decision was made: (1) because of the greater number of HIV-negative men, compared to HIV-positive men, who expressed interest in the study and (2) because participants could decide whether or not to disclose their serostatus in the group, as they do in other real-life interactions with other MSM, as reviewed during the consent process. Thus, there was no group assignment based on HIV serostatus.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
- Model description
- Adaptation of the Effective Skills to Empower Effect Men (ESTEEM; Pachankis, 2014; Pachankis et al, 2015) intervention that addresses young gay and bisexual men's occurring maladaptive behavioral patterns, including HIV-transmission risk behavior and mental health concerns, to address multiple stigma-related stressors for young gay and bisexual men of color in a group therapy format. All participants were part of the same intervention (no randomization) to assess the feasibility and acceptability of this adapted intervention (protocol update 4.24.2019; please see attached protocol). Two cohorts were formed to retain ideal group size for group therapy (10-15 participants per group).
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Young gay and bisexual men of color | Experimental | Behavioral: ESTEEM conneCTApproximately 30 young MSM of color will take part in weekly 90-minute group treatment sessions over 10 weeks. All participants will complete outcome assessments at baseline and three months post-treatment, as well as an exit interview. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 35 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Report anticipated 6-month residential stability in New Haven county
- Self-identify as a gay or bisexual man or report being a man who has had past-12-month sex with a man
- Self-identify as an ethnic or racial minority, including Black, African American, Caribbean American, Hispanic, and Latinx
- Speak fluent English
Key exclusion criteria (1 listed)
- Participants not meeting the inclusion criteria will not be eligible to participate.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| ESTEEM conneCTThe intervention adapts the ESTEEM (Pachankis et al, 2015) intervention to address the multiple-stigma stressors faced by MSM of color, including sexual orientation and racial stigma in a manualized, CBT-based intervention. Approximately thirty participants (divided between two cohorts) will complete ten group sessions will take place at regular times once per week over the course of three months. The groups will be "closed," in that no new members will be allowed to join after the first week in order to promote open self-disclosure and trust among group members. | Behavioural | Young gay and bisexual men of color |
Primary outcome
Depression
Time frame: 3 months
To measure depression in participants, the Center for Epidemiological Studies - Depression Scale (CES-D) will be used. An overall depression score is computed as the sum of the 20 items, with Items 3, 11, 14, and 16 reversed. In cases with internally missing data (items not answered), the sums were computed after imputation of the missing values: # items on scale / # actually answered, multiplied by the sum obtained from the answered items. A higher score indicates more depressive symptomatology during the past week. Range is 0 - 60.
HIV Transmission Risk
Time frame: 90 days
Risk of HIV transmission was assessed through the Past-90-day Timeline Follow-back interview (TLFB; Sobell \& Sobell, 1992). HIV risk behavior was calculated as the number of past-90-day sex acts in which key harm-reduction strategies were not employed (e.g., condom, PrEP, viral load suppression) and calculated by dividing the total number of sex acts at risk for HIV transmission by the total number of sex acts. Sex acts range from 0 to (theoretically) infinite.
10 secondary outcomes
Overall Depression Severity and Impairment Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Overall Anxiety Severity and Impairment Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Brief Symptom Inventory
Time frame: 3 months
Suicidal Ideation Attributes Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
Time frame: 3 months
Condom-use Self-Efficacy Questionnaire
Time frame: 3 months
Sexual Compulsivity Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Gay-Related Rejection Sensitivity Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Self-concealment Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Internalized Homophobia Scale
Time frame: 3 months
Results and safety
Loading the posted results from ClinicalTrials.gov…
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 4 Aug 2021.
- Posted resultsParticipant flow, baseline, all outcome measures and adverse events.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
John Pachankis, PhD principal investigator
Yale University
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing ESTEEM conneCT in people with HIV in MSM, run by Yale University at 1 site in United States.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 1 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 4 Aug 2021. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in United States. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
Yes. Results are posted in the registry (first posted 4 Aug 2021). A summary is in the For doctors view, and the full results are on ClinicalTrials.gov.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Depression (time frame: 3 months). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 4 Aug 2021.