Integrating cutting-edge whole person HIV and substance use care in vietnam and beyond

The Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health Fogarty International Center awarded Hanoi Medical University $148,635 on September 16, 2025, under the International Research and Research Training program (CFDA 93.989) to adapt the HealthMindr mobile health application and evaluate its acceptability, feasibility, and preliminary effectiveness for improving HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake among young men at high risk for HIV in Vietnam.

The award funds theater testing through focus group discussions with young men and stakeholders including health officials, clinic staff, and community-based organizations to refine the app for beta testing. During beta testing, young men at high risk for HIV will use the adapted app for 30 days, then complete an online survey and exit usability assessment. App analytics will be collected to understand usage patterns. The adapted app will subsequently be tested among young men at high risk for HIV through a randomized controlled trial design with intervention and control arms in a 1:1 ratio. The work addresses Vietnam's ongoing HIV epidemic among young men vulnerable due to sexual behaviors, where HIV prevalence reaches 12 percent but HIV testing and PrEP use remain low.

Performance occurs in Vietnam. The period of performance extends from the award date through July 31, 2030.

Abstract

Young men vulnerable to HIV due to sexual behaviors are experiencing an ongoing HIV epidemic in vietnam, with an HIV prevalence of 12%. However, HIV testing and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PREP) use among this population remain low. To improve HIV testing and PREP use, mobile health (MHEALTH) interventions hold great promise to reach young men in low- and middle-income countries. Healthmindr, an evidence-based MHEALTH intervention developed in the united states for men at high risk for HIV, is an ideal option for adaptation for young men in vietnam. I propose to adapt this APP and explore barriers and facilitators of implementing the APP among this population. The specific aims are to (1) adapt the healthmindr APP to improve HIV testing and PREP uptake among young men at high risk for HIV in vietnam; (2) examine acceptability, feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of the adapted APP among young men at high risk for HIV in vietnam and (3) explore barriers and facilitators of implementing the adapted APP among young men at high risk for HIV in vietnam. In aim 1, theater testing will be conducted through focus group discussions with young men and key other stakeholders, including health officials, clinic staff and community-based organizations. Theater testing data will be used to refine the APP for beta testing. During beta testing, a small group of young men at high risk for HIV will use the APP for 30 days, then complete an online survey and an exit usability, provide their perspectives of the APP and report any other areas for improvement. APP analytics will also be collected to understand whether and how the APP is used. In aim 2, the adapted APP with be tested among young men at high risk for HIV through a randomized controlled design. Young men will be randomized into the intervention or control arm (1:1 ratio). The intervention arm will have full access to the APP for 3 months, while the control group will receive standard-of-care HIV services. Key APP features include HIV test planning, risk and PREP eligibility assessment, ordering of free condoms and HIV test kits, information about PREP, and PREP provider and HIV testing locations. HIV testing and PREP use will be assessed at baseline and 3 months and compared between groups. A mixed methods approach will be used to evaluate APP acceptability and feasibility. Quantitative data on acceptability and feasibility will be collected through the 3- month online survey, while qualitative data will be collected through in-depth interviews with a subset of young men in the intervention arm and other key stakeholders. In aim 3, through the same qualitative study as aim 2, factors that influence the implementation of the APP will be explored. Determinants from seven domains will be identified: condition, technology, value proposition, adopter system, health organization, wider system and embedding/adaption over time. This proposal will generate data for designing a full-scale hybrid type 1 effectiveness-implementation trial to test the adapted APP and identify implementation strategies to address the barriers of APP implementation in low- and middle-income countries.