Trial results for a study evaluating couple-based motivational interviewing with mobile breathalyzers to reduce alcohol use in individuals with HIV were posted on ClinicalTrials.gov on 2025-08-07, with a total enrollment of 186 participants.

Background

HIV remains a significant global health challenge, particularly in regions like South Africa where high prevalence rates persist. Alcohol abuse is a common comorbidity among people living with HIV, exacerbating disease progression, reducing adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART), and increasing the risk of HIV transmission. Addressing alcohol use in this population is crucial for improving health outcomes and preventing further spread of the virus. Interventions that are culturally sensitive and involve social support, such as couple-based approaches, may be particularly effective in settings where community and family structures play a strong role in health behaviors.

Trial design

This completed study, which did not specify a phase (NA), enrolled a total of 186 participants. The trial focused on individuals with HIV/AIDS and Alcohol Abuse in South Africa. The intervention aimed to develop and pilot test an approach using couple-based motivational interviewing (MI) and mobile breathalyzers to reduce heavy alcohol use within couples where one or both partners were living with HIV. The study design included three intervention groups:

Key results

The trial results provided key measurements related to participant enrollment and retention across the different intervention groups:

What this means

The posted results from this pilot study provide initial data on the feasibility of implementing couple-based motivational interviewing and mobile breathalyzers to reduce alcohol use among HIV-positive couples in South Africa. The enrollment of 186 participants across the various intervention arms, with comparable numbers in each, suggests that the study design was able to successfully recruit and assign participants. The retention rates, which show a high proportion of enrolled participants completing the study (e.g., 30 out of 31 for EUC heavy drinkers, 29 out of 30 for MI heavy drinkers, and 29 out of 29 for MI Plus heavy drinkers), indicate good participant engagement and adherence to the intervention protocols. These findings are encouraging for the potential scalability and effectiveness of such interventions in addressing the dual burden of HIV and alcohol abuse, laying groundwork for larger efficacy trials.

Source

The information regarding these trial results was obtained from ClinicalTrials.gov, a public database of clinical studies. The results for the study NCT05756790, titled "Couple-Based Motivational Interviewing With Mobile Breathalyzers to Reduce Alcohol Use in South Africa", were posted on 2025-08-07 on clinicaltrials.gov.