Social distancing in the context of the SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus and COVID-19 disease pandemic may amplify isolation and loneliness due to the requirement to limit in-person interactions with loved ones, friends, community members, healthcare providers, etc. Social isolation increases susceptibility to illness, stress, hypertension, depression, and mortality and decreases engagement in self-management and physical activity. People living with HIV (PLWH) are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and are particularly vulnerable to the stress and social isolation caused by the public health measures to combat COVID-19. Using mixed-methods and a human-centered design approach, the investigators will adapt a nurse-led intervention to EXtend the HIV/AIDS TReatment cAscade for CVD prevention (EXTRA-CVD) so that it is better suited to a post-COVID healthcare environment. This hybrid type 3 implementation study will evaluate the implementation of a virtually enhanced EXTRA-CVD intervention to improve BP control in PLWH from 3 HIV-specialty clinics in the United States [University Hospitals, MetroHealth (both Cleveland, OH) and Duke Health (Durham, NC)]. The study will enroll adult PLWH participants (n=75) on suppressive ART with high blood pressure whom are otherwise ineligible for the parent trial (EXTRA-CVD; NCT03643705) because they do not also have high cholesterol or because they are unwilling or unable to participate in the in-person trial. Primary outcomes will be: reach (% agreeing to participate), effectiveness (change in home systolic BP), and adoption (frequency of home BP use). Additional implementation measures including feasibility, acceptability, and intention to maintain blood pressure self-monitoring will be assessed qualitatively. This study will increase the impact and scalability of the EXTRA-CVD intervention without compromising the integrity or feasibility of the parent trial.
Social distancing measures put in place to combat the COVID-19 disease pandemic may increase social isolation and impact cardiovascular disease prevention behaviors among people living with HIV (PLWH). This study builds on a previously developed nurse-led intervention to improve blood pressure and cholesterol care for PLWH. The investigators will adapt the intervention to be administered virtually in order to facilitate cardiovascular prevention care within the US health care system which has sustained long-term changes as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation and effectiveness of the intervention will be tested in a 12-month single arm intervention study.