EPICC

Expanding PrEP in Communities of Color (EPICC+)

 

Expanding PrEP in Communities of Color (EPICC+) seeks to adapt existing evidence-based provider and patient education and support tools and materials (EBT) for use among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and to train providers in the use of the EBT to facilitate HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) shared decision making.
 

Download the Study Summary

This study involves two distinct aims:

Aim 1

Training providers on the use of newly developed EBT and updated PrEP clinical guidance via online modules and virtual training workshops.

Aim 2a

Aim 2a is a hybrid effectiveness - implementation pragmatic clinical trial with a cohort of 400 YMSM ages 18-39
 

Aim 2b

Post-trial virtual focus groups with PrEP providers and clinical staff (n=36-48) to gather feedback on overall perceptions of barriers and facilitators to EBT implementation at the clinical sites

 

Effectiveness Objectives

  1. Test the effectiveness of a provider training to increase provider knowledge of and comfort with PrEP modalities in clinical practice.
  2. Test the effectiveness of the EPICC+ intervention package* in increasing PrEP adherence among YMSM.
  3. Test the effectiveness of the EPICC+ intervention package in increasing PrEP persistence among YMSM.
  4. Test the effectiveness of the EPICC+ mobile app at increasing PrEP adherence and persistence among YMSM.

*EPICC+ intervention package is defined as the combination of provider training, EBT for providers, and the EPICC+ mobile app.

 

Implementation Objectives

  1. Describe real-world PrEP use including factors influencing selection and change of PrEP regimens.
  2. Understand and describe barriers and facilitators impacting the implementation of new PrEP modalities in clinical practice.
  3. Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of the EPICC+ mobile app among YMSM on PrEP.
  4. Evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of implementing a provider training.

 

Our Team

Florida State University

Lisa Hightow-Weidman, MD, MPH | Distinguished and Endowed McKenzie Professor; Founding Director of the Institute on Digital Health and Innovation | College of Nursing

Kate Muessig, PhD | Professor; Founding Associate Director of the Institute on Digital Health and Innovation | College of Nursing

Henna Budhwani, PhD, MPH | Professor, Center of Population Sciences for Health Equity

Sylvie Naar, PhD | Professor, Center for Translational Behavioral Science, College of Medicine

Kristina Claude, MPH | Institute on Digital Health and Innovation | College of Nursing

Crissi Rainer, MS | Institute on Digital Health and Innovation | College of Nursing

Aimee Rochelle, MPH | Institute on Digital Health and Innovation | College of Nursing

Avery George | Youth Outreach Coordinator, Center for Translational Behavioral Science, College of Medicine

Jonathan Morgan | Center for Translational Behavioral Science, College of Medicine

FHI 360

Allysha Maragh-Bass, PhD | Scientist, Behavioral, Epidemiological and Clinical Sciences

Andrés Martinez | Statistician, Clinical Sciences

Elizabeth Tolley, PhD | Director of Behavioral, Epidemiological and Clinical Sciences

Amanda Souto | Research Program Manager

Ese Aikhuele | Research Assistant

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

MacKenzie Cottrell, PharmD, MS | Assistant Professor, Division of Pharmacotherapy & Experimental Therapeutics

Audrey Pettifor, PhD | Professor, Department of Epidemiology, Gillings School of Global Public Health

Lina Rosengren-Hovee, MD, MPH, MS | Assistant Professor, Division of Infectious Disease, UNC-Chapel Hill Department of Medicine

Youth Advisory Boards 

Subject Matter Research Consultants (SMRC) | Meets 3rd Monday of each month. Learn more about the SMRC here.

FLASH Network | Meets 3rd or 4th Friday of the month. Learn more about the FLASH network here.

 

Community Partnerships