Model-Based Methods to Translate Adolescent Medicine Trials Network for HIV/AIDS Interventions Findings Into Policy...

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Health Economics

Background:

• Approximately 60,000 US youth live with HIV, facing poorer health outcomes than adults.
• Challenges include lower diagnosis, engagement, retention, and virologic suppression rates among youth living with HIV (YLWH).
• New youth-centered interventions are being developed to improve care retention and medication adherence.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate ongoing and future Adolescent Medicine Trials Network (ATN) interventions using the Cost-Effectiveness of Preventing AIDS Complications (CEPAC)-Adolescent Model.
• To define benchmarks for intervention uptake, effectiveness, durability, and cost for clinical benefit and cost-effectiveness.
• To improve viral load suppression among YLWH.

Main Methods:

• Establishment of the ATN Modeling Core (protocol ATN 161) using data from NIH-supported studies.
• Development of a simulation model (CEPAC-Adolescent Model) reflecting HIV acquisition, progression, and treatment in YLWH.
• Leveraging emerging data from ATN trials to project long-term clinical impact and cost-effectiveness of interventions.

Main Results:

• The project was funded starting September 2017.
• The ATN Modeling Core is designed to be a flexible tool for projecting intervention outcomes.
• Model input parameters and structure are derived from key aspects of HIV care in YLWH.

Conclusions:

• The ATN Modeling Core will offer crucial data for scaling up ATN interventions.
• It will aid in translating ATN research findings into policy recommendations for YLWH.
• This initiative supports improved health outcomes for youth living with HIV in the US.