Community Based Interventions to Improve HIV Outcomes in Youth: a Cluster Randomised Trial in Zimbabwe

Young people fare disproportionately poorly across the HIV care continuum compared to other age-groups; the prevalence of undiagnosed HIV is substantially higher, and coverage of and adherence to antiretroviral therapy is lower, resulting overall in worse virological outcomes.

Aim: The aim is to determine the impact of an integrated community-based package of HIV services incorporating HIV testing, linkage to care and ongoing adherence support, combined with sexual and reproductive health services and general health counselling for 16 to 24 year olds on population level HIV viral load in a high HIV prevalence setting.

Design: This is a two-arm cluster-randomised trial in 24 clusters randomised 1:1 to standard of care or to the intervention package.

Intervention: Community-based package of services that includes: HIV testing and counselling, delivery of antiretroviral therapy, adherence support groups, mobile health, condoms, menstrual hygiene management, contraception and treatment of sexually transmitted infections, referral for voluntary medical male circumcision and cervical screening, risk reduction counselling and general health information and counselling. The intervention will be implemented over a two and half year period. The intervention will be implemented in 12 clusters, each with a population of approximately 2500-4000 16-24 year olds.

Study Outcomes: The study outcomes will be determined at a population level through a community cross-sectional survey among 18 to 24 year olds two years following the implementation of the intervention. The primary outcome is the proportion with HIV with a viral load <1000 copies/ml. The secondary outcomes will reflect each step of the HIV care cascade: proportion with HIV who know their HIV status, proportion of those who know their HIV-positive status who are currently taking antiretroviral therapy, proportion of those taking antiretroviral therapy who are virally suppressed. Sexual and reproductive health knowledge, risks and behaviour will also be assessed.

Study population: The end-line survey will recruit 700 18-24 year olds per cluster (total 16 800).

Study sites: The study will be conducted in 3 provinces in Zimbabwe: Harare, Bulawayo and Mashonaland East.

Study Duration: The planned duration of the entire study will be 4 years

Inclusion criteria

• Reside within cluster boundaries
• Aged 16 to 24 years

Exclusion criteria

• Reside outside the cluster boundaries
• Aged below 16 years
• Aged above 24 years