A randomized control trial of a combined community health worker and re-entry intervention for people with HIV recently released from jail who use substances

Abstract

Introduction: People with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV; PWH) who use substances are disproportionately involved in the criminal justice system. While HIV viral suppression typically improves during incarceration, these gains are frequently lost after release. We evaluated the impact of a combined intervention (formerly incarcerated community health workers [CHW] plus a re-entry organization; CHW+) on postrelease HIV- and substance use-related outcomes.

Methods: We conducted a pilot randomized controlled trial of a CHW+ for PWH who use substances, within 30 days of release from a large southern, urban jail. Between February 2019 and August 2021, participants were recruited, enrolled, and randomized to treatment as usual (TAU; passive referral to care) or CHW+. Follow up study visits occurred at 3, 6, and 12 months. The primary outcome was HIV VL at 6 months; secondary outcomes included 6-month urinary toxicology and high-risk substance use at 12 months.

Results: A total of 31 participants were enrolled who were primarily male (n = 24; 77 %), Black (n = 22; 71 %), unemployed (n = 23; 74.2 %), had unstable housing (n = 18; 58 %), had food insecurity (n = 14; 45 %), and reported their drug of choice was stimulants (n = 24; 77 %). The study identified no significant difference in HIV VL suppression at 6 months (20 % v. 37 %; [CHW+ v. TAU], p = 0.61). We observed improved substance use outcomes in CHW+ v. TAU, including fewer positive urinary toxicology screens for stimulants (40 % v. 100 %; p = 0.01) and a trend toward less high-risk substance use (30 % v. 43 %). The CHW+ group met more basic needs, such as food security [+32 % v. +11 %], housing security [+52 % v. -7 %] and full-time employment [+20 % v. +5 %] compared to TAU.

Conclusions: PWH who use substances assigned to a combined intervention of CHW+ after jail release did not achieve higher rates of HIV VL suppression than TAU; however, they had improved substance use outcomes and met more basic subsistence needs. Results highlight the potential of culturally informed interventions to address the competing needs of PWH who use substances after release from jail and call for further development of innovative solutions to successfully bridge to HIV care in the community.

Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03834779..

Keywords: Community health worker; Criminal justice; HIV; Substance use.