Scaling an intervention for the engagement of people with HIV who inject drugs into care in Viet Nam: an implementation-effectiveness, cluster-randomised trial
An article in The Lancet, published December 2025
Authors: Vivian F Go, Le M Giang, Huong T T Phan, Jane S Chen, Byron J Powell, Sophia M Bartels, Minh X B Nguyen, Teerada Sripaipan, Ha T T Nong, Linh T H Dang, Manh D Pham, Son H Vo, Ha V Tran, Van T H Hoang, Ngan T K Nguyen, Anh V Chu, Sara N Levintow, David W Dowdy, Hojoon Sohn, Brian W Pence, William C Miller
This study in Viet Nam aimed to improve HIV care for people who inject drugs (PWID) by comparing two ways of implementing a support program called SNaP, which includes systems navigation and psychosocial counseling sessions. Researchers wanted to see if a tailored approach, which adjusts to the specific needs of each testing site, works better than a standard, one-size-fits-all approach.
The study involved 42 HIV testing sites randomly assigned to either the tailored approach or the standard approach. The tailored approach resulted in better adherence to the SNaP program and significantly higher rates of viral suppression among the participants. Although both approaches led to high rates of antiretroviral therapy (ART) initiation, the tailored approach, which involved assessing site needs and continuously adjusting strategies, proved more effective in maintaining long-term health outcomes. This suggests that customizing implementation strategies to local conditions can improve the effectiveness of HIV care programs for PWID.