Increasing MSM in the Continuum of Care in Kazakhstan

The intervention is designed to utilize MSM as experts and leverage social network processes to increase the number of MSM in Kazakhstan to be engaged in the HIV continuum of care. The unit of randomization will be a city, with the timing of roll-out of the social network-based intervention in each of the study's cities-Almaty, Nur-Sultan (formerly Astana), and Shymkent-under experimental control. Receipt/delivery of an intervention to enrolled participants will depend on whether the city is in the intervention delivery phase or not. If a participant is in a city during a time period where the intervention is not being delivered then for that time period, the participant is in the control condition. If the participant is in a city during a time period where the intervention is being delivered then the participant (in fact, all participants in that city) will be considered assigned to the intervention group at that time. In theory, all participants will have the opportunity to experience and receive the intervention. Some participants will be enrolled after the intervention has been rolled out in the city in which they reside; thus, they will only experience the intervention condition and not the control condition.

Inclusion criteria

• be at least 18 years old;
• identify as male; and
• report oral or anal intercourse with another man in the past 12 months; and
• report binge alcohol consumption and/or illicit use of substances in the past 12 months

Exclusion criteria

• has a language or cognitive impairment that would prevent comprehension of study procedures, risks, and benefits (described in Russian during the informed consent process)