Behavioral Economics and Implementation Research to Reduce Cardiovascular Risk in HIV-infected Adults

NIH RePORTER · NIH · U01 · $625,027 · view on reporter.nih.gov ↗

Abstract

ABSTRACT Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is a major cause of morbidity among people living with HIV (PLWH). Evidence-based statin therapy is highly effective at reducing cardiovascular risk but is under- prescribed for PLWH due to provider- and patient-level barriers. Potential provider-level barriers include misconceptions about potential side effects, inadequate knowledge of guideline recommendations, and concerns about patient adherence. Patient-level barriers to new prescription uptake often relate to concerns about side effects and uncertainty about benefits. Implementation science research suggests that barriers to implementation of evidence-based practices can occur at all levels of an organization, including at the leadership, provider, and patient levels, and that barriers at each level must be addressed for successful implementation to occur. We, therefore, propose a multi-level intervention to increase evidence-based statin prescribing by addressing barriers at these levels using the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research. Following a qualitative phase to inform and tailor the intervention's educational component, we will implement (1) tailored education at the leadership, provider, and patient levels, and (2) provider peer comparisons. To educate leadership, specifically medical directors, we will provide a brief, in-person “peer champion”-led educational module about CVD risk in PLWH and evidence-based statin use. Patients will receive pamphlets about CVD and communication strategies with providers. A behavioral economics peer comparison strategy, to be implemented six months after the first intervention component, will be email- based and compare each physician's rate of provision of statin therapy relative to top-performing physicians caring for PLWH. In partnership with the Los Angeles County Ambulatory Care Network and community clinics (N=11 clinics), we will use a stepped-wedge cluster randomized trial design to pursue these aims: Aim 1: Assess knowledge about and barriers to statin prescribing among clinic leadership, providers, and PLWH and adapt the intervention's education intervention to address barriers at each level. Aims 2a and 2b: Determine effectiveness of the (2a) education intervention and (2b) peer comparison intervention on adoption (outcome is providers' prescribing rates) of evidence-based statin therapy. Aims 3a, 3b, and 3c: Assess implementation outcomes, including (3a) changes in provider acceptability of statin prescribing for PLWH; (3b) provider acceptability of the education and peer comparison interventions; and (3c) cost of implementing the education and peer comparison.

Key facts

NIH application ID
10162653
Project number
5U01HL142104-04
Recipient
UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA LOS ANGELES
Principal Investigator
Allison Leslie Diamant
Activity code
U01
Funding institute
NIH
Fiscal year
2021
Award amount
$625,027
Award type
5
Project period
2018-06-01 → 2024-05-31