Last week iTech’s ATN 158: LifeSteps opened for recruitment for the first aim of the study, in-depth interviews. LifeSteps is an evidence-based HIV medication adherence intervention developed by Safren et al., and has been adapted for PrEP use in adults.
This phase of the study will explore ways in which LifeSteps for PrEP needs to be tailored to meet the unique needs of young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and transgender women who have sex with men (TWSM).
For the first aim of the study, LifeSteps will enroll up to 20 youth participants and up to 10 key informants (health care providers and community stakeholders) at one site, the Fenway Institute in Boston, MA.
LifeSteps is anticipated to launch its pilot randomized controlled trial in January 2019, which will enroll up to 50 YMSM/TWSM across three sites:
- The Fenway Institute in Boston, MA
- The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore (CHAM) in the Bronx, NY
- The Adolescent and Young Adult Research (AYAR) at the CORE Center in Chicago, IL