Engaging men through HIV self-testing with differentiated care to improve ART initiation and viral suppression among men in Malawi (ENGAGE): A study protocol for a randomized control trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Men experience twice the mortality of women while on ART in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) largely due to late HIV diagnosis and poor retention. Here we propose to conduct an individually randomized control trial (RCT) to investigate the impact of three-month home-based ART (hbART) on viral suppression among men who were not engaged in care.

Methods and design

A programmatic, individually randomized non-blinded, non-inferiority-controlled trial design (ClinicalTrials.org NCT04858243). Through medical chart reviews we will identify "non-engaged" men living with HIV, ≥15years of age who are not currently engaged in ART care, including (1) men who have tested HIV-positive and have not initiated ART within 7 days; (2) men who have initiated ART but are at risk of immediate

SUBMITTER: Choko AT 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9956026 | biostudies-literature | 2023

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature