The Treatment Ambassador Program: A Pilot Intervention to Increase Treatment Initiation

• Sponsor: Brigham and Women's Hospital (Other)
• Overall Status: Completed
• CT.gov ID: NCT03099707
• Collaborator: University of Cape Town (Other)
• Enrollment: 84
• Location: 1
• Arms: 2
• Actual Duration (Months): 18.6
• Patients Per Site Per Month: 4.5

Study Details

Study Description

Brief Summary

This study will evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the Treatment Ambassador program - a peer-supported intervention targeting individuals living with HIV who have not started on treatment within at least 3 months of testing.

Condition or Disease	Intervention/Treatment	Phase
HIV	Behavioral: Treatment Ambassador	N/A

Detailed Description

Global HIV treatment initiatives have focused on increasing access to antiretroviral therapy (ART), with the goal of creating an "AIDS-free generation." There is growing evidence, however, that treatment availability alone is insufficient to stop the spread of the disease. Countries where HIV is hyperendemic, such as South Africa, will not achieve population-level reductions in HIV until incident infections have been dramatically reduced over a lifetime, and people living with HIV (PLWH) no longer wait to start treatment until they have symptoms of advanced AIDS. As South Africa expands ART eligibility to all people living with HIV, it remains unclear if promoting earlier ART initiation will lead to widespread uptake. These operational realities raise two fundamental questions: how will we close the gap from the 3.4 million PLWH currently on ART to treating the over seven million people who need care; and what does this portend for the future of Treatment as Prevention in South Africa? The investigators' prior research suggests that optimizing ART initiation for PLWH in South Africa will require an intervention to reduce individual barriers to starting ART, promote social support, and enhance linkages to the healthcare system. In the proposed study, the investigators will build upon our prior research to pilot test a socio-behavioral multi-component peer intervention, to ensure that South Africans living with HIV initiate and sustain treatment. Investigators will test this intervention through a pilot randomized-controlled trial. This multi-component intervention is designed to address barriers to ART initiation identified in prior qualitative research, framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence (TTI). TTI focuses upon three "streams of influence" that impact health behavior at the individual-, social-, and structural-levels. The intervention will be delivered by "Treatment Ambassadors," who are PLWH who will function in multiple capacities, and have received intensive training in motivational interviewing (MI), peer-support, and peer navigation. They will then provide the intervention in eight sessions over 8-14 weeks. The intervention will be individually tailored to address the three streams of influence on patient decision-making as follows: MI will address individual perceived risk and ambivalence in decision-making; peer-support will target interpersonal social factors; and patient navigation will promote ART initiation and counter structural barriers.

Investigators will enroll 90 participants (45 in each arm) with the goal of assessing feasibility and acceptability. Investigators enrolled 84 participants in total. The 90 participant mark was not met due to time constraints and our eligibility requirements. In addition, preliminary efficacy will be assessed through the following measures:

Primary Outcome Measure: Timely ART initiation (initiation within 3 months of enrollment) (assessed through the National Health Laboratory Service, pharmacy records, and medical chart abstraction).

Secondary Outcomes Measures: 1) HIV-1 RNA Suppression within the first 6 months of study enrollment (assessed through the National Health Laboratory Service).

1. Behavioral Factors associated with failure to initiate ART in a timely manner.

Study Design

• Study Type: Interventional
• Actual Enrollment: 84 participants
• Allocation: Randomized
• Intervention Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)
• Primary Purpose: Health Services Research
• Official Title: The Treatment Ambassador Program: Pilot Testing a Peer-driven Intervention to Increase Treatment Initiation Among HIV-positive South Africans
• Actual Study Start Date: Apr 12, 2017
• Actual Primary Completion Date: Dec 31, 2017
• Actual Study Completion Date: Oct 31, 2018

Arms and Interventions

Arm	Intervention/Treatment
No Intervention: Standard of Care Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).
Active Comparator: Treatment Ambassador Intervention Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability.	Behavioral: Treatment Ambassador; This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

1. Number of Participants With Treatment Initiation at 3 Months After Study Enrollment [3 months]

   Treatment Initiation will be measured at 3 months through clinic records, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), a national database in South Africa. Primary data analysis will be an intent-to-treat analysis, which includes all randomized participants. Of note, every attempt will be made to continue assessing participants even if they drop out of treatment. In addition, investigators will replicate all analyses with the completers only. The hypothesis that the intervention will yield higher rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation by the completion of the intervention will be tested using Fisher's exact test; the treatment effect estimate will be summarized in terms of a relative risk and 95% confidence interval. Any baseline demographic or clinical variables identified as necessary covariates in preliminary analyses will be included in a logistic regression analysis that examines the main effect of treatment condition on the rates of ART initiation.

Secondary Outcome Measures

1. HIV-1 RNA Suppression at 6 Months Post-enrollment [6 months]

   HIV-1 RNA will be measured at 6 months year post enrollment among participants who start ART to allow for sub-group analyses of people living with HIV who start ART in the intervention vs. control groups. This will be accessible through NHLS and clinic data.

2. CD4 [6 months]

   Mean CD4 counts at the 6 month assessment

3. Number of Participants With Intervention Acceptability [Acceptability will be assessed during the intervention, an expected average timeframe of 8-14 weeks]

   Satisfaction with intervention content, delivery, length using a client satisfaction questionnaire and as measured on a likert scale response and as open-ended response options

4. Number of Participants With Intervention Feasibility [Feasibility will be assessed during the intervention, an expected average timeframe of 8-14 weeks]

   Intervention feasibility measured by attendance, retention for outcome assessments, fidelity

Other Outcome Measures

1. Time to Event Analysis of ART Initiation [6 months]

   Investigators will perform a Time to Event Analysis of Treatment Initiation and compare this between control and intervention arms. Data not available - only measured at 3 months to capture the importance of early treatment initiation

2. Number of Participants Who Reported Having Fewer Drinks at 6 Months Than at Baseline [baseline and 6 months]

   Assessed through self-reported measures of alcohol use: percent reporting fewer daily drinks at six months than at baseline. Participants were asked "How often do you have a drink containing alcohol (like beer, wine, or liquor)?" (Never, less than monthly, monthly....4 or more times a week). If they gave an answer other than "Never," they were then asked "How many drinks of any kind containing alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?" (1 or 2; 3 or 4...10 or more). Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

3. Short-form 8 (SF-8) [baseline and 6 months]

   Change in self-reported General Health over time. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. The SF-8 is an eight question survey for measuring general physical and mental health. It is a shortened version of the SF-36 and the results are interpreted using the same methods. First, items are recorded on a 0 (lowest score) to 100 (highest score) scale, per a scoring key developed by RAND. Then, items in the same scale are averaged together so that each scale representing different elements of health has its own score. Scores represent the average for all questions the participant answered (the percentage of total possible score achieved). The higher the score, the better the participant's health. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

4. Change in Self-reported Coping/Ability to Cope Over Time [baseline and 6 months]

   Brief COPE. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. The Brief COPE was developed by Carver, C. S. and provides a condensed version of the full COPE tool which can be modified by choosing only select scales. We used a 2-item scale (both related to alcohol and drug use, min=1, max=4) based on factor analysis results. Higher scores are worse (more use of alcohol/drugs to feel better/get through). We averaged the 2 items to calculate the scale score. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

5. Change in Self-reported Belief in ARV Efficacy/Trust in Antiretrovirals Over Time [baseline and 6 months]

   Perceptions of ARV Therapy Scale, HCSUS. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. ARV efficacy was measured using an 8-item scale. For each item, min=1, max=4. Higher scores are better (higher belief in ARV efficacy). Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

6. Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey [baseline and 6 months]

   Change in self-reported perceived social support over time. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. The Social Support Survey contains four subscales (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction) and an overall social support index. A higher score for any of the subscales or the index indicates higher levels of social support. Each subscale score is calculated by finding the average of all the scores in that subscale. The index is found by calculating the average of all the items. Social support was measured by asking eight questions each with a scale of one to five (five being the most support). The minimum score was 8 (least social support) and the maximum was 40 (most social support). Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

7. Patient-Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9 [baseline and 6 months]

   Change in self-reported depression over time. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. Depression and anxiety symptoms and somatic complaints were measured using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), which scores DSM-IV criteria from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). The subtotals are summed to create the total score. 0-4 is interpreted as minimal depression, 5-9 as mild depression, 10-14 as moderate depression, 15-19 as moderately severe depression, and 20-27 as severe depression. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

8. Change in Self-reported Internalized Stigma Over Time [baseline and 6 months]

   Internalized Stigma measure developed by Kalichman et al. We compared scores at baseline and six months. Internalized stigma was measured using the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale. This six-item scale is used to measure internalized stigma. Participants either agree (which scores them a "1") or disagree (which scores them a "0") to each item and the total scale score is computed as the sum of the items with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 6. The higher the score, the higher their internalized stigma. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

9. Change in Self-reported Disclosure Concerns Over Time [baseline and 6 months]

   Disclosure concerns measure using Berger's HIV Stigma Scale. We modified the instrument to include eight statements related to disclosure concerns (i.e. I regret having told some people that I have HIV; I want to keep my HIV a secret) and participants responded disagree or agree. Disclosure concerns were measured by asking a set of eight questions, with a minimum score of 8 and a maximum score of 16. The higher the score, the greater the level of concern. We compared scores at baseline and six months. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

10. Change in Self-reported Anticipated Stigma Over Time [baseline and 6 months]

    Anticipated Stigma measure developed by Earnshaw et al. We used the HIV Stigma Framework to measure anticipated HIV stigma. This instrument consists of items relating to anticipated stigma from friends, family, and healthcare workers. Items were scored on 5-point Likert-type scales (1=very unlikely, 5=very likely). Higher scores indicate greater anticipated stigma. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey. In this case, only one participant had not disclosed, but they were determined ineligible for the study.

11. Change in Self-reported Barriers and Competing Needs Over Time [Baseline and 6 months]

    Barriers and Competing Needs measure developed by Craw JA et al. We compared results at baseline and six months. Barriers and competing needs were assessed by asking participants whether they had experienced each of 13 problems when medical care was needed in the past six months (e.g. not knowing where to find care, affordability of medications or transportation). The count of each participant's "yes" responses to these 13 yes/no items was taken as their score. Higher score means more barriers/competing needs. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.

Eligibility Criteria

Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 18 Years and Older
• Sexes Eligible for Study: All
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Inclusion Criteria:

1. Adults living with HIV who are 18 years and older, who have not initiated ART within 3 months of learning their status

2. ART naïve,

3. Live within 60 km the testing center (due to prohibitive costs of following participants to remote locations);

4. English or Xhosa speaking; and

5. Eligible for treatment under current South Africa guidelines

Exclusion Criteria:

1. Unable to provide informed consent (e.g., due to intoxication or mental incapacity,

2. Persons less than 18 years of age,

3. Women who report current pregnancy at the time of consent. We are choosing to not include pregnant women in this study, because the study's recruitment site refers pregnant clients to more specialized care facilities that may better suit their needs.

Contacts and Locations

Locations

	Site	City	State	Country	Postal Code
1	Desmond Tutu HIV Foundation	Cape Town		South Africa

Sponsors and Collaborators

• Brigham and Women's Hospital
• University of Cape Town

Investigators

• Principal Investigator: Ingrid Katz, Brigham and Women's Hospital

Study Documents (Full-Text)

• Study Protocol and Statistical Analysis Plan - Nov 13, 2017

More Information

Publications

None provided.

• Responsible Party: Ingrid Theresa Katz, M.D., Assistant Professor and Research Scientist, Brigham and Women's Hospital
• ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03099707
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2016P002222
• First Posted: Apr 4, 2017
• Last Update Posted: Dec 6, 2021
• Last Verified: Oct 1, 2021

• Individual Participant Data (IPD) Sharing Statement: No
• Plan to Share IPD: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Drug Product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated Device Product: No
• Keywords provided by Ingrid Theresa Katz, M.D., Assistant Professor and Research Scientist, Brigham and Women's Hospital: Treatment; ART; South Africa

Study Results

Participant Flow

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Period Title: Overall Study
STARTED	43	41
COMPLETED	43	37
NOT COMPLETED	0	4

Baseline Characteristics

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention	Total
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.	Total of all reporting groups
Overall Participants	43	41	84
Age (Count of Participants)
<=18 years	0 0%	0 0%	0 0%
Between 18 and 65 years	43 100%	41 100%	84 100%
>=65 years	0 0%	0 0%	0 0%
Age (years) [Median (Inter-Quartile Range) ]
Median (Inter-Quartile Range) [years]	34	34	34
Sex: Female, Male (Count of Participants)
Female	33 76.7%	36 87.8%	69 82.1%
Male	10 23.3%	5 12.2%	15 17.9%
Race/Ethnicity, Customized (Count of Participants)
Black African	43 100%	41 100%	84 100%
Region of Enrollment (Count of Participants)
South Africa	43 100%	41 100%	84 100%

Outcome Measures

1. Primary Outcome

Title	Number of Participants With Treatment Initiation at 3 Months After Study Enrollment
Description	Treatment Initiation will be measured at 3 months through clinic records, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (NHLS), a national database in South Africa. Primary data analysis will be an intent-to-treat analysis, which includes all randomized participants. Of note, every attempt will be made to continue assessing participants even if they drop out of treatment. In addition, investigators will replicate all analyses with the completers only. The hypothesis that the intervention will yield higher rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation by the completion of the intervention will be tested using Fisher's exact test; the treatment effect estimate will be summarized in terms of a relative risk and 95% confidence interval. Any baseline demographic or clinical variables identified as necessary covariates in preliminary analyses will be included in a logistic regression analysis that examines the main effect of treatment condition on the rates of ART initiation.
Time Frame	3 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

All participants who completed the full 6 months of the study were analyzed.

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Count of Participants [Participants]	1 2.3%	5 12.2%

Statistical Analysis 1

Statistical Analysis Overview	Comparison Group Selection	Standard of Care, Treatment Ambassador Intervention
	Comments
	Type of Statistical Test	Superiority
	Comments
Statistical Test of Hypothesis	p-Value	0.105
	Comments
	Method	Fisher Exact
	Comments
Method of Estimation	Estimation Parameter	Risk Ratio (RR)
	Estimated Value	5.2
	Confidence Interval	(2-Sided) 95%; 0.6 to 43
	Parameter Dispersion	Type: Value:
	Estimation Comments

2. Secondary Outcome

Title	HIV-1 RNA Suppression at 6 Months Post-enrollment
Description	HIV-1 RNA will be measured at 6 months year post enrollment among participants who start ART to allow for sub-group analyses of people living with HIV who start ART in the intervention vs. control groups. This will be accessible through NHLS and clinic data.
Time Frame	6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

Data were not collected for participant HIV-1 RNA suppression at 6 months post-enrollment

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	0	0

3. Secondary Outcome

Title	CD4
Description	Mean CD4 counts at the 6 month assessment
Time Frame	6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

No CD4 data were collected at 6 months

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	0	0

4. Secondary Outcome

Title	Number of Participants With Intervention Acceptability
Description	Satisfaction with intervention content, delivery, length using a client satisfaction questionnaire and as measured on a likert scale response and as open-ended response options
Time Frame	Acceptability will be assessed during the intervention, an expected average timeframe of 8-14 weeks

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

Only participants who received intervention were assessed for acceptability through semi-structured interviews

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	0	25
Count of Participants [Participants]	25 58.1%

5. Secondary Outcome

Title	Number of Participants With Intervention Feasibility
Description	Intervention feasibility measured by attendance, retention for outcome assessments, fidelity
Time Frame	Feasibility will be assessed during the intervention, an expected average timeframe of 8-14 weeks

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

Only participants randomized to the intervention arm were assessed for feasibility (% of the 41 participants participating in the full intervention)

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	0	41
Count of Participants [Participants]	0 0%	37 90.2%

6. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Time to Event Analysis of ART Initiation
Description	Investigators will perform a Time to Event Analysis of Treatment Initiation and compare this between control and intervention arms. Data not available - only measured at 3 months to capture the importance of early treatment initiation
Time Frame	6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

No time-to-event analysis carried out

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	0	0

7. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Number of Participants Who Reported Having Fewer Drinks at 6 Months Than at Baseline
Description	Assessed through self-reported measures of alcohol use: percent reporting fewer daily drinks at six months than at baseline. Participants were asked "How often do you have a drink containing alcohol (like beer, wine, or liquor)?" (Never, less than monthly, monthly....4 or more times a week). If they gave an answer other than "Never," they were then asked "How many drinks of any kind containing alcohol do you have on a typical day when you are drinking?" (1 or 2; 3 or 4...10 or more). Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	35	29
Count of Participants [Participants]	3 7%	7 17.1%

8. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Short-form 8 (SF-8)
Description	Change in self-reported General Health over time. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. The SF-8 is an eight question survey for measuring general physical and mental health. It is a shortened version of the SF-36 and the results are interpreted using the same methods. First, items are recorded on a 0 (lowest score) to 100 (highest score) scale, per a scoring key developed by RAND. Then, items in the same scale are averaged together so that each scale representing different elements of health has its own score. Scores represent the average for all questions the participant answered (the percentage of total possible score achieved). The higher the score, the better the participant's health. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	38
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	0.0 (1.0)	-0.1 (1.1)

9. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Change in Self-reported Coping/Ability to Cope Over Time
Description	Brief COPE. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. The Brief COPE was developed by Carver, C. S. and provides a condensed version of the full COPE tool which can be modified by choosing only select scales. We used a 2-item scale (both related to alcohol and drug use, min=1, max=4) based on factor analysis results. Higher scores are worse (more use of alcohol/drugs to feel better/get through). We averaged the 2 items to calculate the scale score. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	1.53 (0.85)	1.24 (0.57)

10. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Change in Self-reported Belief in ARV Efficacy/Trust in Antiretrovirals Over Time
Description	Perceptions of ARV Therapy Scale, HCSUS. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. ARV efficacy was measured using an 8-item scale. For each item, min=1, max=4. Higher scores are better (higher belief in ARV efficacy). Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [Point change on scale]	2.93 (0.34)	3.00 (0.24)

11. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Medical Outcomes Study (MOS) Social Support Survey
Description	Change in self-reported perceived social support over time. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. The Social Support Survey contains four subscales (emotional/informational, tangible, affectionate, and positive social interaction) and an overall social support index. A higher score for any of the subscales or the index indicates higher levels of social support. Each subscale score is calculated by finding the average of all the scores in that subscale. The index is found by calculating the average of all the items. Social support was measured by asking eight questions each with a scale of one to five (five being the most support). The minimum score was 8 (least social support) and the maximum was 40 (most social support). Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	4.22 (0.64)	4.39 (0.65)

12. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Patient-Health Questionnaire (PHQ)-9
Description	Change in self-reported depression over time. We compared the difference in scores between baseline and six months. Depression and anxiety symptoms and somatic complaints were measured using the 9-item Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ), which scores DSM-IV criteria from 0 (not at all) to 3 (nearly every day). The subtotals are summed to create the total score. 0-4 is interpreted as minimal depression, 5-9 as mild depression, 10-14 as moderate depression, 15-19 as moderately severe depression, and 20-27 as severe depression. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	0.61 (0.56)	0.32 (0.24)

13. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Change in Self-reported Internalized Stigma Over Time
Description	Internalized Stigma measure developed by Kalichman et al. We compared scores at baseline and six months. Internalized stigma was measured using the Internalized AIDS-Related Stigma Scale. This six-item scale is used to measure internalized stigma. Participants either agree (which scores them a "1") or disagree (which scores them a "0") to each item and the total scale score is computed as the sum of the items with a minimum score of 0 and maximum score of 6. The higher the score, the higher their internalized stigma. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	2.61 (1.50)	2.30 (1.26)

14. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Change in Self-reported Disclosure Concerns Over Time
Description	Disclosure concerns measure using Berger's HIV Stigma Scale. We modified the instrument to include eight statements related to disclosure concerns (i.e. I regret having told some people that I have HIV; I want to keep my HIV a secret) and participants responded disagree or agree. Disclosure concerns were measured by asking a set of eight questions, with a minimum score of 8 and a maximum score of 16. The higher the score, the greater the level of concern. We compared scores at baseline and six months. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	3.47 (1.72)	3.81 (1.61)

15. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Change in Self-reported Anticipated Stigma Over Time
Description	Anticipated Stigma measure developed by Earnshaw et al. We used the HIV Stigma Framework to measure anticipated HIV stigma. This instrument consists of items relating to anticipated stigma from friends, family, and healthcare workers. Items were scored on 5-point Likert-type scales (1=very unlikely, 5=very likely). Higher scores indicate greater anticipated stigma. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey. In this case, only one participant had not disclosed, but they were determined ineligible for the study.
Time Frame	baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

This scale was only administered to those who had not disclosed HIV status to anyone. Data were collected from 1 participant originally randomized to the intervention arm, but this participant was deemed ineligible. The 1 participant who did not report disclosing to anyone chose 2 ("unlikely") for all 9 of the Anticipated Stigma items.

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	0	0

16. Other Pre-specified Outcome

Title	Change in Self-reported Barriers and Competing Needs Over Time
Description	Barriers and Competing Needs measure developed by Craw JA et al. We compared results at baseline and six months. Barriers and competing needs were assessed by asking participants whether they had experienced each of 13 problems when medical care was needed in the past six months (e.g. not knowing where to find care, affordability of medications or transportation). The count of each participant's "yes" responses to these 13 yes/no items was taken as their score. Higher score means more barriers/competing needs. Note: 84 participants were enrolled into the study, but not all of them agreed to complete each survey.
Time Frame	Baseline and 6 months

Outcome Measure Data

Analysis Population Description

[Not Specified]

Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care	Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
Measure Participants	43	37
Mean (Standard Deviation) [score on a scale]	4.55 (2.50)	3.91 (2.17)

Adverse Events

Time Frame	Six months - the full duration of the study
Arm/Group Title	Standard of Care		Treatment Ambassador Intervention
Arm/Group Description	Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200 Rand to complete all three surveys) only. This group will not receive any additional engagement to care intervention. Investigators intend to follow their clinical outcomes through medical registries, pharmacy data, and the National Health Laboratory Service (a national database for all individuals living with HIV in South Africa regarding engagement in care).		Participants are administered baseline, 3 month, and 6 month questionnaires and provided with study incentive (100 Rand per survey plus an additional 200R to complete all three surveys). For participants randomized to the intervention arm, they will immediately meet with a Treatment Ambassador to begin the 8 session intervention, which has components of motivational interviewing, peer-support, and peer navigation. The protocol is detailed in a study manual that has been reviewed and undergone multiple iterative revisions to ensure cultural acceptability. Treatment Ambassador: This multi-component intervention, titled the "Treatment Ambassador Program," will target people living with HIV who have not initiated ART within 3 months of testing positive. Our intervention will last for 8 sessions over 8-14 weeks, and will aim to address the three steams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support with an assigned partner living with HIV who is trained in motivational interviewing. It will be aimed at addressing barriers to ART initiation identified through our prior qualitative research, as framed through the Theory of Triadic Influence, by addressing the three streams of influences on decision-making through a system of patient navigation and support.
All Cause Mortality
	Standard of Care		Treatment Ambassador Intervention
	Affected / at Risk (%)	# Events	Affected / at Risk (%)	# Events
Total	0/43 (0%)		0/37 (0%)
Serious Adverse Events
	Standard of Care		Treatment Ambassador Intervention
	Affected / at Risk (%)	# Events	Affected / at Risk (%)	# Events
Total	0/43 (0%)		0/37 (0%)
Other (Not Including Serious) Adverse Events
	Standard of Care		Treatment Ambassador Intervention
	Affected / at Risk (%)	# Events	Affected / at Risk (%)	# Events
Total	0/43 (0%)		0/37 (0%)

Limitations/Caveats

[Not Specified]

More Information

Certain Agreements

All Principal Investigators ARE employed by the organization sponsoring the study.

There is NOT an agreement between Principal Investigators and the Sponsor (or its agents) that restricts the PI's rights to discuss or publish trial results after the trial is completed.