CClinicalTrials.gg
WithdrawnNCT02544126Updated Jan 24, 2017

Computer-Based Intervention in HIV-Positive Young Adults

An interventional study of Electronic Self-Management Resource Training for Mental Health and Screen-based health education in HIV and Depression, sponsored by Emory University. Withdrawn. Open to participants aged 23 Years to 35 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2017-01-24.

Sponsored by Emory University · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Not applicable
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
0
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
23 Years to 35 Years
Sex
All
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Study summary

The purpose of this study is to investigate how working with a computer program may affect mood, feelings, overall health, and markers in blood in young adults with HIV.

Read the detailed description

Depression frequently occurs in young adults with HIV infection. When young adults with HIV experience depression, they are less likely to take their prescribed antiretroviral therapy (ART). When HIV occurs simultaneously with depression, individuals are more likely to have indicators in their blood that are linked risk for developing other illnesses in the future. The purpose of this project is to examine the ability of an avatar-based intervention, called eSMART-MH, to decrease depressive symptoms in HIV-positive depressed young adults.

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Conditions studied

  • HIV
  • Depression

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03

In context

HIV Seropositivity

210 studies on the registry are indexed under HIV Seropositivity; 10 are open to participants now.

Browse HIV Seropositivity studies →

Lead sponsor

Emory University is the lead sponsor of 1,386 studies on the registry; 236 are open to participants now.

Of its 229 completed or terminated interventional studies of FDA-regulated products, 174 (76%) have results posted.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

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Who can participate

Ages eligible
23 Years to 35 Years
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • 23-53 years of age
  • Fluent in English
  • Be able to view images and text on a computer screen and hear audio using a headset
  • Have a diagnosis of unipolar depression or have significant depressive symptoms noted in the electronic medical record (EMR) or referred to the study by a provider at the Grady Ponce de Leon Clinic because of their depressive symptoms
  • Receive care at Ponce de Leon Center and at least 1 scheduled HIV medical appointment in the last 6 months
  • Reside in the Atlanta, Georgia area
  • Have a valid telephone number and email address
  • Answer all items correctly on consent post-test

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Diagnosis of bipolar depression
  • Deaf, blind or unable to understand spoken English
  • Currently pregnant, history of pregnancy within the last year or plan to become pregnant within the next 4 months
  • Plan to move from the Atlanta, Georgia area within four months of study enrollment
  • Taking corticosteroids or disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs
  • If on antidepressant medication, taking it for less than 1 month
  • Fail to pass post-consent test after three attempt
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Study design

Phase
Not applicable
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Parallel assignment
Masking
Single (Participant)
Enrollment
0 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Experimental
    eSMART-MH

    HIV+ young adults will be randomized to receive Electronic Self-Management Resource Training for Mental Health (eSMART-MH)

    Device: Electronic Self-Management Resource Training for Mental Health

  • Active comparator
    Attention Control

    HIV+ young adults will be randomized to receive screen-based health education

    Behavioral: Screen-based health education

Interventions

  • DeviceElectronic Self-Management Resource Training for Mental Health

    eSMART-MH is a software, which is set in a 3-D virtual primary care office environment in which a subject interacts with avatar virtual healthcare staff (medical receptionist, medical assistant, providers, and a virtual healthcare coach). The avatars are programed to behave like humans. The subject moves through the 3-D virtual primary care office and encounters virtual healthcare staff and providers. The subject practices discussing depressive symptoms with avatar healthcare providers and practices self-management skills related to symptoms of depression.The subject also interacts with the health care coach. The health care coach provides the subject with real-time strategies to enhance communication with healthcare providers during their virtual office visit. Overtime, coaching is decreased to build the the subject's self-confidence. eSMART-MH will be used once a month, for three months.

    Also known as: eSMART-MH

  • BehavioralScreen-based health education

    Screen-based health education will be used and cover topics like depression, nutrition, physical activity, and sleep hygiene at the same frequency as the eSMART-MH intervention, which is used once a month, for three months.

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What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Change in the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9)

    The PHQ-9 is a 9-item self-report measure of depressive symptoms which asks participants to rate the frequency of depression symptoms over the past 2 weeks from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). Scores range from 0 to 27, with higher scores reflecting greater severity of depressive symptoms.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  2. Change in the General Well-Being Schedule (GWS)

    The GWS is an 18-item self-report measure that examines the subjective feelings of psychological well-being and distress which asks participants to rate each question in relationship to their feelings over the past 4 weeks on a 6-grade Likert scale. The last four items ask respondents to supply ratings on a 1-10 scale. Score range will be transformed into a the scale score on a continuum from 0 to 100, with higher scores reflecting a better well being of the participant.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  3. Change in Center for Disease Control Health Related Quality of Life-4 (CDC HRQOL-4)

    CDC HRQOL-4 is self-report measures quality of life over the last 30 days in the domains of physical and mental health and asks participants 4 core questions including one health status measure (self-rated health) and three HRQOL measures (recent physical health, recent mental health, and recent activity limitation). The scoring used is with a summary "unhealthy days" index, computed by adding a respondent's physically and mentally unhealthy days, with a maximum of 30 for one person.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  4. Change in the Quality of Life Enjoyment Scale (Q-LES-Q-SF)

    Q-LES-Q-SF is a 16 item self-report measure that assesses the quality of life satisfaction in multiple domains of functioning which asks participants to rate how satisfied they have been with various aspects of their life over the last week, rating on a 1-5 Likert-type scale. Scores range from 16 to 80, with higher scores reflecting less enjoyment and satisfaction.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

Secondary outcomes

  1. Medication Adherence

    Pill counts for antiretroviral therapy (ART) and medication for mood (if ordered) will be measured through examining pills consumed compared to the doses prescribed.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  2. Change in plasma interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels

    IL-6 is circulating inflammatory biomarker. The plasma concentrations of IL-6 will be assessed using commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) kits.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  3. Change in cluster of differentiation 4 (CD4) Count

    CD4 is a glycoprotein found on the surface of immune cells such as T helper cells, monocytes, macrophages, and dendritic cells and is a measure for how well the immune system is working. CD4 T-cell will be assessed using flow cytometry and healthy adult/adolescent ranges from 500 cells/mm\^3 to 1,200 cells/mm\^3.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  4. Change in Log HIV Viral Load

    Viral load measures the amount of HIV's genetic material in a blood sample. The results of a viral load test are described as the number of copies of HIV RNA in a milliliter of blood. For example, a viral load of 10,000 would be considered low; 100,000 would be considered high. Viral load changes can be very large, so they are sometimes quantified using the powers of ten, or 'log scale'. A 1-log change is the same as a ten-fold change (so 5000 to 50,000 or vice versa).

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  5. Change of plasma brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) levels

    BDNF is a protein that acts on certain neurons of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system, helping to support the survival of existing neurons, and encourage the growth and differentiation of new neurons and synapses. The plasma concentrations of BDNF will be assessed using commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) kits.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  6. Change in Fibrinogen levels

    Fibrinogen is a hepatic-derived factor directly involved in clotting and in the viscosity characteristics of blood flow. It binds to platelets and contributes to their aggregation, promotes fibrin formation and is also an acute phase reactant that is increased in inflammatory states. The plasma concentrations of fibrinogen antigen will be assessed using the immunochemistry.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

  7. Change in plasma oxytocin levels

    Oxytocin, a chemical composed of a chain of amino acids, is a substance that has multiple physiological functions within the human body. These functions include roles as both a hormone as well as a neurotransmitter. The plasma concentrations of oxytocin will be assessed using commercial enzyme-linked immunoassay (ELISA) kits.

    Time frame: Baseline, 3 months

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Study locations

No study locations are listed for this record.

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Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 24, 2017, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT02544126
Lead sponsor
Emory University
Responsible party
Melissa Pinto (Assistant Professor, Emory University) — Principal investigator
First posted
Sep 9, 2015
Start date
Sep 2015
Primary completion
Aug 2016
Completion
Aug 2016
Last update
Jan 24, 2017

Study contacts

Melissa D Pinto, PhD,RN,FAAN
principal investigator · Emory University

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
Yes
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

Not currently enrolling

This study is withdrawn, as verified in Jan 2017. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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