HIV: Adolescent Substance Abuse Trial Posts Feasibility Results

Trial results for a study assessing economic approaches to prevent substance abuse among adolescents living with HIV were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-12-02, involving 95 participants.

Background

Adolescents living with HIV (AYLHIV) in poverty-impacted communities often face significant challenges, including increased vulnerability to alcohol and drug use (ADU). Substance abuse can complicate HIV management, adherence to treatment, and overall health outcomes. Understanding and addressing multi-level context-specific risk and protective factors for ADU among AYLHIV is crucial. Interventions that combine risk reduction strategies with economic empowerment may offer a pathway to improved health and social outcomes by addressing underlying socioeconomic determinants.

Trial design

This completed study, designated as Phase NA, enrolled 95 participants to investigate conditions including Adolescent Drinking, HIV/AIDS, and Drug Use. The trial aimed to test the impact of an economic empowerment intervention on reducing alcohol and drug use among adolescents and youth living with HIV in poverty-impacted communities in Uganda. Participants were allocated to either an Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction (ADURR) arm or an Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) arm.

Key results

The trial reported several key measurements at baseline and 6 months:

• Percentage of Participants Completing the Study at 6 Months:
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction Arm, 44 Participants completed the study.
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) Arm, 46 Participants completed the study.
• Number of Participants Enrolling in the Study at Baseline:
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction Arm, 44 Participants enrolled.
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) Arm, 46 Participants enrolled.
• Percentage of Participants That Self-reported Use of Any Drug in the Last 3 Months at the Baseline Assessment:
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction Arm, 25 Participants self-reported drug use.
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) Arm, 31 Participants self-reported drug use.
• Percentage of Participants That Self-reported Use of Any Drug in Last 3 Months at the 6-month Assessment:
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction Arm, 21 Participants self-reported drug use.
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) Arm, 24 Participants self-reported drug use.
• Optimism Scale Total Score at Baseline:
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction Arm, the mean score was 38.5 (Standard Deviation 5.7).
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) Arm, the mean score was 38.8 (Standard Deviation 5.4).
• Optimism Scale Total Score at 6 Months:
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction Arm, the mean score was 39.5 (Standard Deviation 4.4).
  • In the Alcohol and Drug Use Risk Reduction + Economic Empowerment (ADURR+EE) Arm, the mean score was 39.3 (Standard Deviation 4.8).

What this means

The posted results provide descriptive data on study completion, self-reported drug use, and optimism scores for adolescents living with HIV participating in an intervention focused on alcohol and drug use risk reduction and economic empowerment. The high completion rates, with 44 out of 44 participants in one arm and 46 out of 46 in the other completing the study, suggest the interventions were feasible and well-retained within the study population. While changes in self-reported drug use and optimism scores were observed between baseline and 6 months, the absence of comparative analyses or statistical significance prevents drawing definitive conclusions about the efficacy of the economic empowerment component. These findings contribute to understanding the feasibility and preliminary outcomes of such interventions in vulnerable adolescent populations.

Source

The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05597865, titled "Assessing the Feasibility of Economic Approaches to Prevent Substance Abuse Among Adolescents", were posted on 2025-12-02 on clinicaltrials.gov.