HIV Suicide Prevention With AI-DBT

One in four older persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA) report at least one suicide attempt in their lifetime, and the risk for death by suicide is 100 times higher in PLWHA than in the general population. Currently, there are no behavioral interventions that specifically address suicide prevention for older PLWHA, despite their unique biopsychosocial and structural risk factors. Through this work, investigators will adapt Dialectical Behavior Therapy, an evidence-based intervention for suicide prevention, for patients with PLWHA to be delivered by an AI-powered conversational Agent developed by our industry partner, Empower Health. Investigators will then pilot test the feasibility, usability, acceptability and preliminary efficacy to improve self-efficacy to manage negative emotions in n=50 older adults living with HIV/AIDS.

NCT Number	NCT07339189
Lead Sponsor	Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey Collaborators: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Conditions	Suicidal Ideation and Behavior, HIV, AIDS (Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome)
Enrollment	50 participants
Start Date	2026-01-07
Primary Completion	2028-06 (estimated)
Study Completion	2028-06 (estimated)
Updated on ClinicalTrials.gov	2026-01-15