A new publication from Dr. Nabila El-Bassel and the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) 094 study team assess the feasibility of the peer navigation intervention, which was originally implemented in 5 urban U.S. cities. In Integration of Substance Use Treatment and HIV Prevention and Care for People Who Inject Drugs, published in the Journal of Addiction Medicine, they share their finding that the peer navigation model worked with people who inject drugs in the urban settings where it was tested, and their optimism that it could work for other underserved communities facing other public health challenges.
Using a 2-arm randomized trial, HPTN 094 evaluated whether participants offered 26 weeks of integrated “one-stop” health care services from a mobile health unit with peer navigator support had improved retention in medication of opioid use disorder, PrEP, and HIV care. In New York, Houston, Los Angeles, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C., they found that there was a good amount of engagement with the peer navigation program, indicating that this is a feasible way of engaging people who might not otherwise be captured by existing public health interventions. In their findings, the team highlights the use of virtual and brief sessions as an important factor, showing that peer navigation is an adaptable intervention that can accommodate participants’ needs and schedules.
Read the full paper in the Journal of Addiction Medicine
