CHALO was a pilot research study to develop and test the feasibility and acceptability of a social media (SM) based HIV prevention intervention to increase consistent condom use and linkage to care for HIV testing and other services at The Humsafar Trust

Funding Agency: Einstein School of Medicine, New York

Study Partners: Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, New York

Objectives:  The objective of this research was to build on Humsafar’s current SM-based peer outreach efforts to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a SM-based HIV prevention intervention targeting consistent condom use and linkage-to-care for health services at HST. Our central hypothesis was that conducting peer-driven social media outreach can efficiently identify and reach an otherwise hard-to-reach Indian MSM population, modify risk behaviors, and motivate individuals to seek in-person health services at a MSM safe-space.

1. To develop CHALO! (‘Let’s Go!’), a theory guided SM-based intervention to increase consistent condom use and HIV testing and support services in MSM in Mumbai, India.
2. To determine the feasibility and acceptability of CHALO by examining process measures of implementing CHALO!, collecting data, and assess retention over 8 weeks as well as by assessing potential changes in condom use, HIV testing, & seeking in-person services at HST (primary outcomes) and HIV knowledge & attitudes (secondary outcomes).

Study duration: Two years

Current Status: Completed