Development and Testing of a Smartphone Application to Reduce Substance Use and Sexual Risk Among Homeless Young Adults
| Status: | Enrolling by invitation |
|---|---|
| Conditions: | Psychiatric |
| Therapuetic Areas: | Psychiatry / Psychology |
| Healthy: | No |
| Age Range: | 18 - 21 |
| Updated: | 4/23/2016 |
| Start Date: | November 2015 |
| End Date: | August 2016 |
A pilot trial (N=60) will be conducted to test the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness
of OnTrack (a smartphone application to self-monitor substance use and sexual behaviors
among homeless young adults) plus a brief motivational intervention (BMI), in comparison to
treatment as usual (TAU) at Covenant House New York (CHNY) for those with substance abuse
problems and who engage in risky sex. Following referral, screening, and eligibility
determination, 60 participants will complete informed consent and be randomly assigned to
one of two conditions: 1) TAU or 2) OnTrack + BMI. All participants will be assessed at
baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after baseline to evaluate alcohol consumption,
marijuana use, HIV sexual risk behaviors, and other relevant variables.
of OnTrack (a smartphone application to self-monitor substance use and sexual behaviors
among homeless young adults) plus a brief motivational intervention (BMI), in comparison to
treatment as usual (TAU) at Covenant House New York (CHNY) for those with substance abuse
problems and who engage in risky sex. Following referral, screening, and eligibility
determination, 60 participants will complete informed consent and be randomly assigned to
one of two conditions: 1) TAU or 2) OnTrack + BMI. All participants will be assessed at
baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6 weeks after baseline to evaluate alcohol consumption,
marijuana use, HIV sexual risk behaviors, and other relevant variables.
Homeless young adults have high rates of substance abuse and HIV infection and, therefore,
developing effective, acceptable, and sustainable interventions to reduce their substance
abuse and sexual risk behaviors is of high public health significance.
HealthCall for Smartphone (HealthCall-S) is a smartphone application originally designed for
self-monitoring of alcohol use and other HIV-related health behaviors, and receiving
personalized feedback on these behaviors among urban substance-abusing HIV primary care
patients. Building upon prior HealthCall-S studies, individual qualitative interviews were
conducted with 10 homeless young adults (age 18-21 years) at Covenant House New York (CHNY),
the largest provider of crisis shelter and services for homeless young adults (age 18-21
years) in NYC. The purpose of the individual interviews was to obtain reactions to various
aspects of HealthCall-S and determine how it could be adapted to better suit the needs and
interests of homeless young adults. HealthCall-S has since been adapted to target alcohol
use, marijuana use, and sexual risk behaviors among homeless young adults and renamed
'OnTrack.' A pilot trial (N=60) will be conducted to test the feasibility and preliminary
effectiveness of OnTrack plus a brief motivational intervention (BMI), in comparison to
treatment as usual (TAU) at CHNY for those with substance abuse problems and who engage in
risky sex. Following referral, screening, and eligibility determination, 60 participants
will complete informed consent and be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: 1) TAU or
2) OnTrack + BMI. All participants will be assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6
weeks after baseline to evaluate alcohol consumption, marijuana use, HIV sexual risk
behaviors, and other relevant variables.
developing effective, acceptable, and sustainable interventions to reduce their substance
abuse and sexual risk behaviors is of high public health significance.
HealthCall for Smartphone (HealthCall-S) is a smartphone application originally designed for
self-monitoring of alcohol use and other HIV-related health behaviors, and receiving
personalized feedback on these behaviors among urban substance-abusing HIV primary care
patients. Building upon prior HealthCall-S studies, individual qualitative interviews were
conducted with 10 homeless young adults (age 18-21 years) at Covenant House New York (CHNY),
the largest provider of crisis shelter and services for homeless young adults (age 18-21
years) in NYC. The purpose of the individual interviews was to obtain reactions to various
aspects of HealthCall-S and determine how it could be adapted to better suit the needs and
interests of homeless young adults. HealthCall-S has since been adapted to target alcohol
use, marijuana use, and sexual risk behaviors among homeless young adults and renamed
'OnTrack.' A pilot trial (N=60) will be conducted to test the feasibility and preliminary
effectiveness of OnTrack plus a brief motivational intervention (BMI), in comparison to
treatment as usual (TAU) at CHNY for those with substance abuse problems and who engage in
risky sex. Following referral, screening, and eligibility determination, 60 participants
will complete informed consent and be randomly assigned to one of two conditions: 1) TAU or
2) OnTrack + BMI. All participants will be assessed at baseline, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 6
weeks after baseline to evaluate alcohol consumption, marijuana use, HIV sexual risk
behaviors, and other relevant variables.
Inclusion Criteria:
- 18-21 years of age
- Engaged in unprotected vaginal, anal, or oral sex in the past year
- Drank alcohol in the past year
- Used marijuana on 4 or more days in past month
Exclusion Criteria:
- Actively psychotic, suicidal, or homicidal
- Does not speak English
- Has a vision/hearing impairment that would preclude participation
- Has definite plans to leave the greater New York metropolitan area within the study
period
We found this trial at
1
site
Click here to add this to my saved trials
