Friendship Bench Adaptation to Improve Mental Health & HIV Care Engagement Outcomes Among PLWH and PWID in Vietnam (VITAL)
HIV Infections, Behavioral Symptoms, Depression
About this trial
This is an interventional treatment trial for HIV Infections
Eligibility Criteria
Inclusion Criteria:
Eligible individuals will meet the following criteria:
- Adult patients (18 years and older) being treated at the Methadone Maintenance Treatment (MMT) clinic
- Medical record indicates infection with HIV
- Have been screened with the DASS-21 which has been translated, standardized and validated in the Vietnamese population with a positive result indicating a CMD (Henry & Crawford 2005; Le et al. 2017; Tran et al. 2013). The investigators will consider as eligible all patients with a depression subscale score ≥ 7, an anxiety subscale score ≥ 6, and/or a stress subscale score ≥ 10. Elevated depressive symptoms be present for ≥2 weeks and elevated anxiety or post-traumatic stress-related symptoms be present for ≥1 month. The investigators will consider a positive screen for any of the three categories as indicating a CMD.
Exclusion Criteria:
• Those with evidence of psychosis or bipolar disorder per the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI) will be excluded.
Sites / Locations
- CDC Hanoi
Arms of the Study
Arm 1
Arm 2
Arm 3
Experimental
Experimental
Active Comparator
Friendship Bench Delivered by Professional Counselor
Friendship Bench Delivered by Lay Counselor
Enhanced Usual Care
25 participants seeking HIV and/or MMT services at participating clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam will be enrolled in this study arm during study recruitment. Individuals enrolled in this arm will initiate FB with a professional counselor. Individuals enrolled in this arm will receive 6 weekly counseling sessions per the adapted FB protocol (Aim 1).
25 participants seeking HIV and/or MMT services at participating clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam will be enrolled in this study arm during study recruitment. Individuals enrolled in this arm will initiate FB with a trained lay counselor. Individuals enrolled in this arm arm will receive 6 weekly counselling sessions per the adapted FB protocol (Aim 1).
25 participants seeking HIV and/or MMT services at participating clinics in Hanoi, Vietnam will be enrolled in this study arm during study recruitment. Enhanced usual care will include general training of the HIV providers and clinics about CMD identification and management, and feedback to the HIV provider of the status of their enrolled patient to allow follow-up per the clinic's standard care.