Seek, Test, Treat and Retain Strategies Leveraging Mobile Health Technologies (Connect4Care), San Francisco, California, 2013-2015 (ICPSR 39783)

Version Date: Apr 20, 2026

Cite this study |

Principal Investigator(s):
Katerina Christopoulos, University of California-San Francisco

Series:

https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39783.v1

Version V1

Slide tabs to view more

Summary

This study is part of the Seek, Test, Treat and Retain (STTR) Collaboration Project that involved over twenty studies in the fields of HIV and drug abuse. All studies were independently developed, but were chosen for the collaboration because they focused on one or more steps of the HIV treatment cascade: Seek, Test, Treat and Retain. As part of STTR Collaboration Project, the studies were grouped into Criminal Justice-related studies and Vulnerable Population-related studies. The data collected by these studies included twelve common domains (e.g., Demographic characteristics, Mental Health) in each of which a shared questionnaire or instrument was taken up by the studies and adapted to fit the study.

Connect4Care (C4C) was a single site, randomized year-long study of Short Message Service (SMS) primary care appointment reminders vs. SMS primary care appointment reminders plus thrice-weekly supportive, informational, and motivational SMS messages. Eligible consenting patients were allocated 1:1 to the two arms within strata defined by HIV diagnosis within the past 12 months (i.e. "newly diagnosed") vs. earlier.

Citation

Christopoulos, Katerina. Seek, Test, Treat and Retain Strategies Leveraging Mobile Health Technologies (Connect4Care), San Francisco, California, 2013-2015. Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research [distributor], 2026-04-20. https://doi.org/10.3886/ICPSR39783.v1

Export Citation:

  • RIS (generic format for RefWorks, EndNote, etc.)
  • EndNote

Funding

United States Department of Health and Human Services. National Institutes of Health. National Institute on Drug Abuse (5R01DA032057, 1R01DA032098, 1R01DA032100, 1R01DA032059, 1R01DA032083, 1R01DA032106, 1R01DA032061, 1R01DA032110, 1R01DA032080, 1R01DA032082)

Subject Terms

Geographic Coverage

Smallest Geographic Unit

City

Restrictions

Access to these data is restricted. Users interested in obtaining these data must complete a Restricted Data Use Agreement, specify the reason for the request, and obtain IRB approval or notice of exemption for their research.

Distributor(s)

Inter-university Consortium for Political and Social Research
Hide

Time Period(s)

2013-08 -- 2015-11

Date of Collection

2013-08 -- 2015-11

Data Collection Notes

  1. Please note that all data files have been converted to the Stata format, trimmed to include only participants enrolled in the study, and had cross-study IDs and other variables appended.

  2. This release is a Fast Track Release and files are distributed as they were received from the data depositor. The files have been zipped for release. Users should consult the investigator(s) if further information is needed.

Hide

Study Purpose

The purpose of this study is determine whether the Short Message Service (SMS) intervention improves retention in care and virologic suppression when added to SMS appointment reminders.

Study Design

This study used a randomized controlled trial. The randomization method used was 1:1, stratified by HIV diagnosis within the past 12 months ("newly diagnosed") vs earlier. Motivational, informational, and supportive text messages were sent three times per week over a period of one year to those allocated in the intervention condition.

Sample

Participants were recruited in the Zuckerberg San Francisco General HIV clinic, Ward 86.

Eligibility criteria were as follows:

  • HIV-infected.
  • Age 18 or older.
  • English-speaking.
  • Able to give informed consent.
  • Have a cell phone, can read a text message, and willing to send/receive up to 25 text messages per month.
  • Viral load greater than 200 copies/microliter within past 4 weeks and either: 1) new to clinic (no more than 2 primary care visits at Ward 86) or 2) history of poor retention (one or more missed visits at Ward 86 or lack of six-month visit constancy in the past 12 months).

Exclusion criteria were as follows:

  • Under age 18.
  • Non English-speaking.
  • Unable to give informed consent.
  • Viral load less than 200 copies/microliter.
  • No missed visits and achievement of six-month visit constancy in the past 12 months in an individual whose viral load is greater than 200 copies microliter.

Time Method

Longitudinal

Universe

HIV patients new to clinic or with a history of poor retention in clinic care.

Unit(s) of Observation

Individual

Data Type(s)

Mode of Data Collection

Response Rates

Target N = 304. Enrolled N = 230.

Presence of Common Scales

  • Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D)
  • Positive affect

Hide

Original Release Date

2026-04-20

Hide

Notes

  • The public-use data files in this collection are available for access by the general public. Access does not require affiliation with an ICPSR member institution.

  • ICPSR usually offers files in multiple formats for researchers to be able to access data and documentation in formats that work well within their needs. If you have questions about the accessibility of materials distributed by ICPSR or require further assistance, please visit ICPSR’s Accessibility Center.

  • One or more files in this data collection have special restrictions. Restricted data files are not available for direct download from the website; click on the Restricted Data button to learn more.

Sign up for our newsletter