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Piloting an App-Based Just-in-Time Adaptive Ecological Momentary Intervention to Reduce Substance Use among HIV-Positive Sexual MinorityMen

Award Number: R34DA053999
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2021
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2024

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Piloting an App-Based Just-in-Time Adaptive Ecological Momentary Intervention to Reduce Substance Use among HIV-Positive Sexual MinorityMen - ABSTRACT In the United States (U.S.), sexual minority men (SMM) are disproportionately affected by HIV compared to the general population. For this population, intersectional sexual minority and HIV-related stress add to general life stressors to increase health risks. Research demonstrates a bidirectional association between psychosocial stress and physiological HIV progression, including CD4 decline and increased viral load. However, stress is not only associated with HIV progression, it is also linked to transmission risk behaviors (TRB), such as medication non-adherence and substance use. Substance use is a particularly important risk factor for HIV transmission. In addition to injection drug use risk, recreational use is associated with sexual TRB and increased risk for HIV among SMM. As such, interventions which target stress responses may be particularly useful for HIV risk reduction among substance using SMM (SUSMM) living with HIV (LWH). Positive affect and mindfulness-based interventions have shown promise in reducing stress across various populations living with chronic illness, including HIV. However, despite the fact SMM represent a majority of the U.S. HIV+ population and SUSMM in particular experience prominent, unique stressors, few studies have examined these interventions and their potential health benefits for SUSMM-LWH. This R34 application builds on our pilot work in the areas of positive affect induction and mindfulness as potential intervention approaches to improve HIV-related health outcomes among SMM-LWH. In our proof-of-concept pilot (n=22), we adapted an integrative positive affect and mindfulness intervention for mobile app delivery. Our pilot findings suggest the mobile app is an acceptable and feasible delivery platform for SMM-LWH. However, SUSMM-LWH experience unique stressors (e.g. substance use stigma), and experience additional barriers to intervention. While the in-person version of this intervention demonstrated efficacy in a randomized control trial with SUSMM-LWH, we have yet to assess acceptability and feasibility for delivering it via mobile app with this population. We propose to first pilot our existing app-based intervention with a sample of SUSMM-LWH to gather community feedback, which will be used to tailor the app design and intervention content for the target population. In Phase 2, we will pilot a factorial optimization trial to assess acceptability and feasibility of two additional features that may enhance our just-in-time-adaptive ecological momentary intervention (EMI) design and delivery: (1) random craving prompts throughout the day in addition to a fixed, once-daily survey and (2) a smart watch in addition to our phone-based EMI. Data from this formative pilot will inform the development of subsequent research grant application to conduct a larger factorial optimization trail to assess how each of these new features (and their combination) impact the effectiveness of our intervention. This will be followed by a subsequent randomized control trial to evaluate efficacy of our optimized intervention, which will have a powerful and sustained effect on substance use and other HIV-related outcomes for SUSMM-LWH.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $0 )
2024	2022	RUTGERS THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	4	2/7/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$63,240
2024	2021	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY	83 SOMERSET ST	NEW BRUNSWICK	NJ	08901	MIDDLESEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	2	2/7/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	-$63,240
														Subtotal = $0

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $222,888 )
2023	2023	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	006	5	7/19/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$222,888
2023	2022	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	2/24/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$263,775
2023	2022	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	003	4	2/24/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$263,775
2023	2022	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	3	10/24/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	-$263,775
2023	2022	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	004	3	7/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2023	2022	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	3	10/27/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$263,775
2023	2021	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	83 SOMERSET ST	NEW BRUNSWICK	NJ	08901	MIDDLESEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	005	2	7/6/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$0
														Subtotal = $222,888

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $263,775 )
2022	2022	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	65 BERGEN ST	NEWARK	NJ	07107	ESSEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	8/10/2022	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$263,775
2022	2021	RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK	695 PARK AVE	NEW YORK	NY	10065	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	2/2/2022	NEW	-$195,000
2022	2021	RUTGERS, THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY	83 SOMERSET ST	NEW BRUNSWICK	NJ	08901	MIDDLESEX	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	2	2/2/2022	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$195,000
														Subtotal = $263,775

Issue Date FY: 2021 ( Subtotal = $195,000 )
2021	2021	RESEARCH FOUNDATION OF THE CITY UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK	695 PARK AVE	NEW YORK	NY	10065	NEW YORK	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	8/19/2021	NEW	$195,000
														Subtotal = $195,000

Grand Total All Awards = $681,663

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Piloting an App-Based Just-in-Time Adaptive Ecological Momentary Intervention to Reduce Substance Use among HIV-Positive Sexual MinorityMen

Award Number: R34DA053999

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 09/01/2021

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 07/31/2024

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