NCT04917575

Efficacy Trial of Life Simulation Game to Routinize Adolescent HIV Testing

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 300 (actual)
• Sponsor: George Washington University · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 13 Years – 24 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

This study will aim to assess the acceptability, usability and efficacy of using state-of-the-art video game technology to increase HIV testing among adolescents and young adults (AYA) ages 13-24. AYA often lack awareness of their personal risk of contracting HIV and where to go for testing and care. This lack of awareness has contributed to poor uptake of HIV testing among AYA despite engagement in high risk behaviors. The goal of this project is to harness this strong motivation to play games to increase HIV testing. Previous games for behavior change have yielded early success for increasing target behaviors among their sample populations, yet research on increasing HIV testing among AYA through gaming has been limited. This intervention builds on prior formative work and is designed to offer AYA personally-tailored risk messages and supports their accessibility to HIV testing and prevention services through an innovative gaming approach that is sharable over social media with in-game rewards for sharing the game with peers. The specific aim of this study is to determine the efficacy of a life-simulation game in changing HIV testing, knowledge, and risk behaviors among AYA at risk for HIV.

Conditions

• Hiv

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Mobile Game	An enhanced life-simulation prototype of a playable interactive game to increase HIV testing.
OTHER	Mobile Application	A mobile application that will include basic information on HIV basics (e.g., routes of transmission, data on the epidemiology of HIV among youth), prevention information, and information on HIV testing and PrEP, as well as a link to the HIV risk estimator, and HIV testing and PrEP locators.

Timeline

• Start date: 2021-06-24
• Primary completion: 2024-10-31
• Completion: 2024-10-31
• First posted: 2021-06-08
• Last updated: 2025-08-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States