Trials volume 25 , Article number: Cite this article. Metrics details. Despite having no formal access to pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP through the health system, GBMSM in Romania demonstrate a high need for and interest in this medication. Participants from two main cities in Romania are prescribed PrEP and followed-up at 3 and 6 months post-randomization. PrEP adherence data are obtained through weekly self-report surveys and dried blood spot testing at follow-up visits.
Potential mediators e. The knowledge gained from this study will be utilized for further refinement and scale-up of Prepare Romania for a future multi-city effectiveness trial. By studying the efficacy of tools to support PrEP adherence and persistence, this research has the potential to lay the groundwork for PrEP rollout in Romania and similar contexts.
This study was registered on ClinicalTrials. Peer Review reports. These trends make it clear that the time has come to prepare for the national rollout of biomedical HIV prevention, namely pre-exposure prophylaxis PrEP , in Romania. Still, although increasing numbers of GBMSM living in Romania are demanding PrEP [ 19 ], they have no formal way to access it, which forces many to purchase PrEP online and use it without medical guidance or monitoring [ 20 ].
Such behaviors have the potential to pose both individual e. Mobile tools are the primary means for GBMSM living in Romania to form and navigate social and sexual networks, especially given high stigma-driven concealment demands [ 9 ], and are therefore ideal intervention platforms [ 30 ]. Motivated by the rapidly increasing HIV incidence among GBMSM living in Romania, a lack of national healthcare system preparedness, and the instrumentality of mHealth in reaching this key population, this study examines the efficacy of Prepare Romania, a combination of two efficacious United States U.
.jpg/460px-Romania-2382_-_View_from_Hotel_(7794313314).jpg "SEX ESCORT in Cluj-Napoca")
To create Prepare Romania, we culturally adapted, integrated, and tested these tools for GBMSM living in Romania through two pilot trials conducted between September and March [ 37 ]. Pilot trials showed that the SPARK protocol was acceptable as originally configured, while the HMP app underwent several modifications to create the Prepare Romania app, such as the addition of trackers desired by participants e. All procedures were pilot-tested and refined with 10 participants in the first pilot 1-month follow-up and 20 participants in the second pilot 3-month follow-up [ 37 ].
