Behavioral Intervention Research

Overview

The HPTN’s scientific working groups recognize that behavioral science plays a vital role in HIV prevention research. Almost all HIV prevention strategies have behavioral components, as well as comprehensive methods to assess and evaluate their efficacy and as a result have been incorporated into many HPTN  studies. For example, both HPTN 064 (ISIS) and HPTN 061(BROTHERS) included qualitative components that examined questions such as study participants’ access to mental health care, sexual behaviors such as partner concurrency and condom use, exposure to domestic violence, social support, financial insecurity, stigma, discrimination, and health care utilization. Resulting data highlighted social inequalities and additional structural factors that may increase the risk of HIV acquisition among the respective study populations. Other studies, such as HPTN 068 and HPTN 065 are examining novel behavioral change concepts that may result in new HIV preventions tools. HPTN 068, which is being conducted in South Africa, is examining whether providing cash transfers to young women and their household, conditional on school attendance, reduces young women’s risk of acquiring HIV. HPTN 065 (TLC-Plus), which is being conducted in the Bronx, New York and in Washington DC, is a combination study that highlights the intersection of behavioral and ART research by examining the feasibility of expanding testing and providing financial incentives when newly diagnosed and formerly out of care HIV positive people link to HIV care The study is also looking at the possible impact of providing financial incentives for individuals in care who achieve viral suppression.

HPTN Behavioral Studies