A total of 500 participants who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative who engage in heavy alcohol use will be enrolled and referred to their local health departments for pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Primary biobehavioral outcomes assessed will include reduced alcohol use (self-reported and biological, including phosphatidylethanol [PEth]), increased PrEP uptake (self-reported and biological), and reduced sexual risk (self-reported condomless sex and impaired sex and biological testing for HIV/sexually transmitted infections [STIs]) at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month follow-up.
The goal of this trial is to test a modified mobile health intervention (with a group component) relative to a mobile health intervention in a two-arm randomized trial with 500 young African American women who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-negative and who misuse alcohol.~The expected outcomes are to: (1) determine the efficacy of the virtual group component in reducing alcohol use and sexual risk and increasing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) utilization; and (2) understand selected outcomes for implementation.~Participants will be randomized to receive either the mHealth app or the mHealth app plus the group component, and followed up at 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-months post-enrollment.