Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial

BackgroundGiven the high rates of HIV infection among young Black men who have sex with men in Jackson, Mississippi, and the underuse of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in this population, there is a critical need for innovative interventions to promote PrEP use. Acceptance a...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Trisha Arnold, Kayla K Giorlando, Andrew P Barnett, Brandon A Gaudiano, Cara M Antonaccio, A Rani Elwy, Precious Patrick Edet, Lori M Ward, Laura Whiteley, Sarah Bailey, Brooke G Rogers, Avery Leigland, Jack C Rusley, Larry K Brown
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: JMIR Publications 2025-06-01
Series:JMIR Research Protocols
Online Access:https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e65921
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850208438816079872
author Trisha Arnold
Kayla K Giorlando
Andrew P Barnett
Brandon A Gaudiano
Cara M Antonaccio
A Rani Elwy
Precious Patrick Edet
Lori M Ward
Laura Whiteley
Sarah Bailey
Brooke G Rogers
Avery Leigland
Jack C Rusley
Larry K Brown
author_facet Trisha Arnold
Kayla K Giorlando
Andrew P Barnett
Brandon A Gaudiano
Cara M Antonaccio
A Rani Elwy
Precious Patrick Edet
Lori M Ward
Laura Whiteley
Sarah Bailey
Brooke G Rogers
Avery Leigland
Jack C Rusley
Larry K Brown
author_sort Trisha Arnold
collection DOAJ
description BackgroundGiven the high rates of HIV infection among young Black men who have sex with men in Jackson, Mississippi, and the underuse of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in this population, there is a critical need for innovative interventions to promote PrEP use. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a promising intervention for health behavior change. ObjectiveThis study aims to develop and test an intervention, ACTPrEP, to increase PrEP use among young Black men who have sex with men. MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews with 20 young Black men who have sex with men and 10 PrEP staff to inform the development of ACTPrEP, an intervention that uses ACT to improve PrEP use. Specific ACTPrEP adaptations from the qualitative interviews included service settings (interventionists should be PrEP informed and well-integrated), target audiences (provide check-in calls, be caring, and authentically relate), modes of delivery (flexible delivery), and cultural adaptation (normalize PrEP use). A pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of ACTPrEP compared to that of Enhanced Standard of Care in promoting PrEP use among young Black men who have sex with men (N=66). We will specifically evaluate group differences in the proportion of participants who initiate PrEP, PrEP adherence, and PrEP persistence. Measures will be collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. ResultsResearch activities began in September 2023 and will be ongoing through June 2026. Preliminary findings are anticipated to be available in late 2026. ConclusionsThis study will inform the development of a larger randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of ACTPrEP for increasing PrEP use among young Black men who have sex with men. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05087680; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05087680 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/65921
format Article
id doaj-art-ff012b3080974d309b3ad9404c623ad6
institution OA Journals
issn 1929-0748
language English
publishDate 2025-06-01
publisher JMIR Publications
record_format Article
series JMIR Research Protocols
spelling doaj-art-ff012b3080974d309b3ad9404c623ad62025-08-20T02:10:15ZengJMIR PublicationsJMIR Research Protocols1929-07482025-06-0114e6592110.2196/65921Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled TrialTrisha Arnoldhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-3556-5717Kayla K Giorlandohttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7367-8419Andrew P Barnetthttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-5182-1528Brandon A Gaudianohttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1843-4910Cara M Antonacciohttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-0248-8735A Rani Elwyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0001-7088-3118Precious Patrick Edethttps://orcid.org/0009-0007-9405-5852Lori M Wardhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7092-8088Laura Whiteleyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-7679-3321Sarah Baileyhttps://orcid.org/0009-0003-7566-7694Brooke G Rogershttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-8569-9556Avery Leiglandhttps://orcid.org/0009-0008-9450-5953Jack C Rusleyhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-1626-2289Larry K Brownhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-4895-7034 BackgroundGiven the high rates of HIV infection among young Black men who have sex with men in Jackson, Mississippi, and the underuse of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in this population, there is a critical need for innovative interventions to promote PrEP use. Acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) is a promising intervention for health behavior change. ObjectiveThis study aims to develop and test an intervention, ACTPrEP, to increase PrEP use among young Black men who have sex with men. MethodsWe conducted in-depth interviews with 20 young Black men who have sex with men and 10 PrEP staff to inform the development of ACTPrEP, an intervention that uses ACT to improve PrEP use. Specific ACTPrEP adaptations from the qualitative interviews included service settings (interventionists should be PrEP informed and well-integrated), target audiences (provide check-in calls, be caring, and authentically relate), modes of delivery (flexible delivery), and cultural adaptation (normalize PrEP use). A pilot randomized controlled trial will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of ACTPrEP compared to that of Enhanced Standard of Care in promoting PrEP use among young Black men who have sex with men (N=66). We will specifically evaluate group differences in the proportion of participants who initiate PrEP, PrEP adherence, and PrEP persistence. Measures will be collected at baseline, 6 weeks, and 12 weeks. ResultsResearch activities began in September 2023 and will be ongoing through June 2026. Preliminary findings are anticipated to be available in late 2026. ConclusionsThis study will inform the development of a larger randomized controlled trial to evaluate the efficacy of ACTPrEP for increasing PrEP use among young Black men who have sex with men. Trial RegistrationClinicalTrials.gov NCT05087680; https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT05087680 International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID)DERR1-10.2196/65921https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e65921
spellingShingle Trisha Arnold
Kayla K Giorlando
Andrew P Barnett
Brandon A Gaudiano
Cara M Antonaccio
A Rani Elwy
Precious Patrick Edet
Lori M Ward
Laura Whiteley
Sarah Bailey
Brooke G Rogers
Avery Leigland
Jack C Rusley
Larry K Brown
Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
JMIR Research Protocols
title Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
title_full Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
title_fullStr Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
title_full_unstemmed Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
title_short Acceptance-Based Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Intervention (ACTPrEP) to Engage Young Black Men Who Have Sex With Men in the Southern United States: Protocol for a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial
title_sort acceptance based pre exposure prophylaxis intervention actprep to engage young black men who have sex with men in the southern united states protocol for a pilot randomized controlled trial
url https://www.researchprotocols.org/2025/1/e65921
work_keys_str_mv AT trishaarnold acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT kaylakgiorlando acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT andrewpbarnett acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT brandonagaudiano acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT caramantonaccio acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT aranielwy acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT preciouspatrickedet acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT lorimward acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT laurawhiteley acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT sarahbailey acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT brookegrogers acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT averyleigland acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT jackcrusley acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial
AT larrykbrown acceptancebasedpreexposureprophylaxisinterventionactpreptoengageyoungblackmenwhohavesexwithmeninthesouthernunitedstatesprotocolforapilotrandomizedcontrolledtrial