Ren Ci, Tucker Joseph D, Tang Weiming, Tao Xiaorun, Liao Meizhen, Wang Guoyong, Jiao Kedi, Xu Zece, Zhao Zhe, Yan Yu, Lin Yuxi, Li Chuanxi, Wang Lin, Li Yijun, Kang Dianmin, Ma Wei
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, Cheeloo College of Medicine, Shandong University, Jinan, 250012, Shandong, China.
University of North Carolina Chapel Hill Project-China, No. 2 Lujing Road, Guangzhou, 510095, China.
Trials. 2020 Nov 17;21(1):931. doi: 10.1186/s13063-020-04860-8.
Men who have sex with men (MSM) are an important HIV key population in China. However, HIV testing rates among MSM remain suboptimal. Digital crowdsourced media interventions may be a useful tool to reach this marginalized population. We define digital crowdsourced media as using social media, mobile phone applications, Internet, or other digital approaches to disseminate messages developed from crowdsourcing contests. The proposed cluster randomized controlled trial (RCT) study aims to assess the effectiveness of a digital crowdsourced intervention to increase HIV testing uptake and decrease risky sexual behaviors among Chinese MSM.
A two-arm, cluster-randomized controlled trial will be implemented in eleven cities (ten clusters) in Shandong Province, China. Targeted study participants will be 250 MSM per arm and 50 participants per cluster. MSM who are 18 years old or above, live in the study city, have not been tested for HIV in the past 3 months, are not living with HIV or have never been tested for HIV, and are willing to provide informed consent will be enrolled. Participants will be recruited through banner advertisements on Blued, the largest gay dating app in China, and in-person at community-based organizations (CBOs). The intervention includes a series of crowdsourced intervention materials (24 images and four short videos about HIV testing and safe sexual behaviors) and HIV self-test services provided by the study team. The intervention was developed through a series of participatory crowdsourcing contests before this study. The self-test kits will be sent to the participants in the intervention group at the 2nd and 3rd follow-ups. Participants will be followed up quarterly during the 12-month period. The primary outcome will be self-reported HIV testing uptake at 12 months. Secondary outcomes will include changes in condomless sex, self-test efficacy, social network engagement, HIV testing social norms, and testing stigma.
Innovative approaches to HIV testing among marginalized population are urgently needed. Through this cluster randomized controlled trial, we will evaluate the effectiveness of a digital crowdsourced intervention, improving HIV testing uptake among MSM and providing a resource in related public health fields.
ChiCTR1900024350 . Registered on 6 July 2019.
男男性行为者（MSM）是中国重要的艾滋病病毒重点人群。然而，MSM中的艾滋病病毒检测率仍不理想。数字众包媒体干预可能是接触这一边缘化人群的有用工具。我们将数字众包媒体定义为利用社交媒体、手机应用程序、互联网或其他数字方式来传播通过众包竞赛产生的信息。拟进行的整群随机对照试验（RCT）研究旨在评估数字众包干预措施在提高中国MSM的艾滋病病毒检测率以及减少其危险行为方面的有效性。
在中国山东省的11个城市（10个群组）开展双臂整群随机对照试验。目标研究参与者每臂250名MSM，每个群组50名参与者。年龄在18岁及以上、居住在研究城市、在过去3个月内未进行过艾滋病病毒检测、未感染艾滋病病毒或从未接受过艾滋病病毒检测且愿意提供知情同意书的MSM将被纳入研究。参与者将通过中国最大的同性恋交友应用程序Blued上的横幅广告以及在社区组织（CBO）进行线下招募。干预措施包括一系列众包干预材料（24张关于艾滋病病毒检测和安全性行为的图片以及4个短视频）以及研究团队提供的艾滋病病毒自我检测服务。该干预措施是在本研究之前通过一系列参与性众包竞赛开发的。自我检测试剂盒将在第2次和第3次随访时发送给干预组的参与者。在12个月期间，每季度对参与者进行随访。主要结局将是12个月时自我报告的艾滋病病毒检测率。次要结局将包括无保护性行为的变化、自我检测效能、社交网络参与度、艾滋病病毒检测社会规范以及检测耻辱感。
迫切需要针对边缘人群的创新艾滋病病毒检测方法。通过这项整群随机对照试验，我们将评估数字众包干预措施的有效性，提高MSM中的艾滋病病毒检测率，并为相关公共卫生领域提供资源。
ChiCTR1900024350。于2019年7月6日注册。
