Rapid testing and counseling for HIV/STIs in Mexican community-based residential care facilities for substance use disorders: A prospective study protocol

ABSTRACT

Background: Rapid testing and counseling (RTC) procedures have become a relevant strategy to decrease the health impact of HIV/STIs. It’s known that individuals who use substances have an increased risk for HIV/STIs. In Mexico about a third of the individuals with substance use disorders (SUDs) receive treatment at the Community-Based Residential Care Facilities (C-BRCF), but procedures in this setting to link individuals to HIV/STIs care haven’t been developed. The primary aim, is to test the acceptability of RTC procedure in individuals who receive treatment in the C-BRCF for SUDs. Methods: A multi-site, observational, prospective study will recruit participants in C-BRCF for SUDs. After discharge from the facilities, participants will receive six monthly follow-up calls. Six hundred participants will be inquired about their substance-use, condom-use, number of sexual-partners and assistance to sexual-health-services (including confirmatory testing). Primary outcome will be assessed by measuring the proportion of participants who accept the STIs testing, expecting that at least 70% of the accept to undergo in the RTC procedure. Conclusion: Mexico is struggling to reach the first goal of the 90–90–90 UNAIDS global goal, the detection of the 90% of HIV positive cases. The results of this study will provide significant data about a strategy to reach a key population.

Abbreviations: SUDs: substance use disorders; STIs: sexually transmitted infections; CODs: co-occurring disorders; UEC-INPRFM: clinical trials unit in addiction and mental health-national institute of psychiatry ramón de la fuente muñiz

KEYWORDS:

• HIV
• STIs
• rapid test
• counseling
• substance use disorders
• co-occurring disorders

Authors’ contribution

RMN is the principal investigator of the study. RMN and LVG conceptualized the manuscript and drafted the manuscript. LVG conceptualized the statistical procedures for the study. MEMM and CMR provide a critical review of the manuscript. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

Ethical approval

This study received approval by the National Institute of Psychiatry Ramon de la Fuente Muñiz Research Ethics Committee (CEI/C/071/2016). Participants are required to sign an informed consent form before data collection; they also have the right to withdraw their participation in the study at any time without loss of potential benefits. Participant’s data will be de-identified for analysis and will be handled and protected according to Mexican regulations.

Availability of data and material

This is a protocol for a prospective study. After completion of the study data will be available upon request to the corresponding author.

Disclosure of potential conflicts of interest

Authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Additional information

Funding

This study was funded by National Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT) through the Sectoral Fund for Research in Health and Social Security (FOSISS) grant no. [262500] awarded to RMN. Additionally, LVG received funding from CONACYT through the doctoral grant no. 383294.Neither CONACYT nor FOSISS had any role in the design of the study or in the decision to publish or the writing of this manuscript.