Tailoring a skills-based sero-status disclosure intervention for transgender women in South Africa: The Speaking Out and Allying Relationships (SOAR) study (Preprint)

Author:

Daniels JosephORCID,van der Merwe Leigh Ann,Portle Sarah,Bongo CikizwaORCID,Gungubele Abongile,Peters Remco

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Transgender women have few interventions to support their HIV prevention and treatment outcomes in South Africa. Further, increased focus should be on intervention development that will reduce HIV transmission within HIV-discordant partnerships, especially for transgender women who navigate gender, sexuality, and relationship stigma as well. The Speaking Out and Allying Relationships (SOAR) intervention has been developed for sexual minority men to address these outcomes in South Africa. It is a behavioral intervention that is delivered in groups on videoconference to develop coping skills to manage HIV-related stress, disclosure to partners, and establish and maintain safer sex practices with partners. Tailoring SOAR may be feasible for transgender women to support their HIV care while reducing transmission within their relationships.

OBJECTIVE

To adapt SOAR for transgender women and test its usability (Aim 1), and then assess its feasibility (Aim 2).

METHODS

To achieve Aim 1, we will use a human-centered design approach to tailor the existing SOAR intervention for transgender women. Interviews and a survey will be administered to transgender women (N=15) to assess intervention preferences. Findings will be used to tailor content like role-plays, scenarios, and media to align with transgender women’s lived experiences navigating HIV and relationships. Afterward, we will conduct a usability test with 6 of the 15 participants to determine intervention understanding and satisfaction. Participants will be transgender women living with HIV and in a relationship with a man with unknown HIV status or HIV-negative. All participants will be recruited using community-based approaches. In Aim 2, we will examine SOAR feasibility using a one-arm pilot-test. Transgender women (N=20) will be recruited using Aim 1 methods and eligibility criteria with participants completing feasibility surveys and interviews, and behavioral and biomedical assessments.

RESULTS

Intervention adaptation began in May 2023 with interviews. Feasibility pilot-testing is due to be completed by March 2024.

CONCLUSIONS

Transgender women need more intervention options that engage their relationships since these can present barriers to HIV treatment outcomes like hindering viral suppression in South Africa. Delivering an existing yet tailored intervention on videoconference expands reach to transgender women and allows them to engage with others and learn new skills in a secure setting like their homes. SOAR has the potential to improve relationship dynamics and reduce violence, that will in turn enhance HIV treatment and prevention engagement.

Publisher

JMIR Publications Inc.

同舟云学术

1.学者识别学者识别

2.学术分析学术分析

3.人才评估人才评估

"同舟云学术"是以全球学者为主线,采集、加工和组织学术论文而形成的新型学术文献查询和分析系统,可以对全球学者进行文献检索和人才价值评估。用户可以通过关注某些学科领域的顶尖人物而持续追踪该领域的学科进展和研究前沿。经过近期的数据扩容,当前同舟云学术共收录了国内外主流学术期刊6万余种,收集的期刊论文及会议论文总量共计约1.5亿篇,并以每天添加12000余篇中外论文的速度递增。我们也可以为用户提供个性化、定制化的学者数据。欢迎来电咨询!咨询电话:010-8811{复制后删除}0370

www.globalauthorid.com

TOP

Copyright © 2019-2024 北京同舟云网络信息技术有限公司
京公网安备11010802033243号  京ICP备18003416号-3