NCT06975176

Combating HIV Stigma in Healthcare Settings: A Standardized Patient Approach

• Status: Not Yet Recruiting
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 155 (estimated)
• Sponsor: University of Minnesota · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 99 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

The goal of this study is to develop and evaluate the effectiveness of a training program to reduce intersectional stigma faced by sexual minorities and people living with HIV (PLWH) in healthcare settings. The study participants are medical providers (i.e. physicians) specializing in sexual health medicine in Vietnam.

Detailed description

Consistent data highlight the central role of stigma in limiting uptake of HIV related testing, treatment, and care. This is particularly true for gay, bisexual, and other MSM who have the lowest rates of engagement with the healthcare system despite bearing the highest HIV incidence burden. Particularly for MSM seeking HIV testing services, enacted stigma-overt acts of discrimination and hostility directed at a person because of their perceived stigmatized status -both on account of their same-sex behaviors (i.e. sexuality stigma or homophobia) and the perception of their elevated HIV risk (HIV stigma) is all too common. Trained standardized patients (SP) will present a standardized case to providers. SPs will present clinically standardized case scenarios, but the HIV status and sexual orientation of each case will be randomly varied. Stigma will be evaluated by comparing the quality of care that SPs experience during provider visits. Results of the baseline visit will inform the development of a stigma reduction training program for provider participants employed at clinics randomized to the treatment arm. The overall structure consists of didactic content as well as experiential learning using simulation-and-feedback sessions with trained SPs.

Conditions

• Hiv

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
BEHAVIORAL	Stigma reduction intervention	Care providers will complete the Stigma Reduction Intervention curriculum. The intervention is a multi-day stigma reduction training program for providers. Content design is greatly informed by materials developed in our pilot R34 study, and which may be modified prior to the intervention if the team gains new insights from the baseline round of unannounced visits and each of the two CABs. Briefly, the intervention consists of both didactic and experiential learning components. Didactic sessions include instruction on syphilis epidemiology, clinical management, and public health significance. Experiential sessions include discussion sessions that are facilitated by pre-recorded videos, followed by role play with trained SPs.

Timeline

• Start date: 2026-09-01
• Primary completion: 2028-10-31
• Completion: 2028-10-31
• First posted: 2025-05-16
• Last updated: 2026-02-13

Locations

1 site across 1 country: United States