RecruitingNot Applicable

Peer Education for Gender Inclusion and Substance Use in Southern Africa

South Africa, Zambia, Zimbabwe264 participantsStarted 2024-09-19

Plain-language summary

The goal of this trial is to test the effectiveness of a brief, behavioral peer group intervention called "PEGISUS" (Peer Education for Gender Inclusion and Substance Use in Southern Africa), on substance use, which will be embedded within existing vocational training programs in Zambia, Zimbabwe, and South Africa. Established peer groups who receive the PEGISUS intervention will complete nine sessions of an adapted intervention for substance use and gender equitable beliefs, embedded into vocational training programs. This will be compared to a standard of care control condition, which involves the vocational training program that is offered through the partner organization and a healthcare referral for substance use. The vocational training program partners are Sozo Foundation (South Africa), BuildIt International (Zambia), and Masvingo Polytechnic (Zimbabwe). Participants in both conditions will complete assessments at baseline, 12-weeks follow-up, and 24-weeks follow-up, consisting of self-reported questionnaires.

Who can participate

Age range16 Years – 24 Years

SexALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adolescents and young adults 16 - 24 years old * At least weekly self-reported alcohol/drug use in a peer group in the past month or at least monthly heavy episodic drinking with peers over the past three months * Comfortable communicating in the predominant local language or English * Lives in the target community and plans to remain in the area for the next 12 months * Eligible to participate in the vocational training (VT) program (according to the VT program's own entry guidelines) and willing to participate in the entirety of the program * Interested to participate in a substance reduction and gender equity beliefs program and able to identify 2 to 5 peers to join * Willing to have PEGISUS workshop sessions audio/video-recorded (if assigned to that group) Exclusion Criteria: * Untreated major mental illness that interferes with study participation, such as active suicidality, or unmanaged bipolar disorder or psychotic disorder * Currently receiving psychological treatment for substance use * Participation in another VT/skills development program or another trial that is judged by the site investigator as non-compatible with this study * Unable to provide informed consent or informed assent

What they're measuring

Self-reported substance use for participants aged 18 and older

Timeframe: Change from baseline to 12-week follow-up assessment [range ≥8-20 weeks]

Self-reported substance use for participants aged 16 and 17

Timeframe: Change from baseline to 12-week follow-up assessment [range ≥8-20 weeks]

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06489899

SponsorUniversity Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2026-04

Contact for this trial

Tara Carney

+27 21 938 0326 tara.carney@mrc.ac.za