---
title: "LYNX: A Novel Mobile App to Support Linkage to HIV/STI Testing PrEP for Young Men Who Have Sex With Men"
nct_id: NCT03177512
overall_status: COMPLETED
phase: NA
sponsor: Public Health Foundation Enterprises, Inc.
study_type: INTERVENTIONAL
primary_condition: HIV
countries: United States
canonical_url: "https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT03177512.md"
clinicaltrials_gov: "https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03177512"
ct_last_update_post_date: 2021-05-11
last_seen_at: "2026-05-12T07:16:21.585Z"
source: ClinicalTrials.gov (mirrored, no enrichment)
---
# LYNX: A Novel Mobile App to Support Linkage to HIV/STI Testing PrEP for Young Men Who Have Sex With Men

**Official Title:** LYNX: A Novel Mobile App to Support Linkage to HIV/STI Testing and Pre-exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for Young Men Who Have Sex With Men

**NCT ID:** [NCT03177512](https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03177512)

## Key Facts

- **Status:** COMPLETED
- **Phase:** NA
- **Study Type:** INTERVENTIONAL
- **Target Enrollment:** 61
- **Lead Sponsor:** Public Health Foundation Enterprises, Inc.
- **Collaborators:** Cook County Health & Hospitals System, Duke University, Emory University, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD), San Francisco Department of Public Health, University of California, San Francisco, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, University of South Florida
- **Conditions:** HIV, Sexually Transmitted Diseases, Risk Reduction, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis
- **Start Date:** 2018-10-25
- **Completion Date:** 2019-11-18
- **CT.gov Last Update:** 2021-05-11

## Brief Summary

This study is testing the acceptability and feasibility of a highly interactive mobile application (app) to promote HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) testing and uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among young men who have sex with men (YMSM).

## Detailed Description

Using the Information-Motivation-Behavior Skills (IMB) model, we have developed LYNX, a highly interactive mobile app to promote accurate risk perception and increase HIV/STI testing and linkage to PrEP among young men who have sex with men (YMSM). Key components of the app include Sex Pro (a personalized HIV risk score), a sex diary to facilitate accurate data collection; HIV/STI testing information and reminders; access to home HIV/STI testing options; a geospatial-based locator of HIV/STI testing sites and PrEP clinics; PrEP information and videos; and online PrEP navigation.

This study is part of the iTech NIH U19, which has an overall goal to develop innovative technology-focused interventions addressing the HIV prevention and care continuum for youth.

## Eligibility

- **Minimum age:** 15 Years
- **Maximum age:** 24 Years
- **Sex:** MALE
- **Healthy Volunteers:** Yes

```
Inclusion Criteria:

* No HIV test in the past 3 months (self-reported).
* Not known to be HIV-infected (self-reported).
* Not currently taking PrEP (self-reported).
* Owns an Apple operating system (iOS) or Android mobile phone and willing and able to download the LYNX app onto their phone.
* Willing and able to attend an in-person baseline visit in the Tampa or Chicago area.
* Able to understand, read, and speak English.
* Participants ages 15-18: self-report at least one episode of anal intercourse with a male or transfemale partner during the last 6 months
* Participants ages 19-24: self-report evidence of high risk for acquiring HIV infection including at least one of the following:

  1. at least one episode of condomless anal sex with an HIV-positive or unknown HIV status male or transfemale partner during the last 6 months; or
  2. Anal sex with 2 or more male and/or transfemale partners during the last 6 months; or
  3. Exchange of money, gifts, shelter, or drugs for anal sex with a male or transfemale partner during the last 6 months; or
  4. Sex with a male or transfemale partner and has had an STI during the last 6 months.

Exclusion Criteria:

* Currently enrolled in another HIV intervention study
* Prior enrollment in an HIV vaccine trial with receipt of experimental vaccine product
* Enrollment in an earlier phase of LYNX study
* Any medical, psychiatric, or social condition or other responsibilities that, in the judgment of the investigator, would make participation in the study unsafe, complicate interpretation of study outcome data, or otherwise interfere with achieving the study objectives.
```

## Arms

- **LYNX Mobile App** (EXPERIMENTAL)
- **Control** (NO_INTERVENTION) — Participants in this study arm will receive local standard of care for linkage to PrEP and HIV/STI testing.

## Interventions

- **LYNX Mobile App** (BEHAVIORAL) — Access to the LYNX mobile app which includes the Sex Pro score tool, PrEP videos, HIV/STI testing reminders and geo-location features.

## Primary Outcomes

- **Acceptability** _(time frame: 3 months)_ — System Usability Scale: a validated 10-measure scale that assesses subjective usability of a system, or, in this case, an app. Range of scale is 0-100, with higher scores indicating higher acceptability.
- **Feasibility: Number of Participants Who Opened the App at Least Once by Month 3 Time Point** _(time frame: 3 months)_ — Opened the app at least once by Month 3 time point

## Secondary Outcomes

- **Frequency of App Use** _(time frame: 6 months)_
- **Number of Participants Using Different Parts of the App** _(time frame: 6 months)_
- **Number of Participants Who Ordered HIV/STI Home Testing Kits, Condoms and Lube** _(time frame: 6 months)_
- **Number of Participants Reporting HIV Testing Over 6 Months** _(time frame: 6 months)_
- **PrEP Uptake as Measured by Self Report** _(time frame: 6 months)_

## Locations (2)

- University of South Florida, Department of Pediatrics, Tampa, Florida, United States
- The CORE Center, Cook County Health and Hospitals System, Chicago, Illinois, United States

## Recent Field Changes (last 30 days)

- `status.overallStatus` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.primaryCompletionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.completionDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `status.lastUpdatePostDate` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.phases` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `design.enrollmentCount` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.criteria` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.minAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.maxAge` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `eligibility.sex` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.primary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `outcomes.secondary` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.arms` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `armsInterventions.interventions` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.lead` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `sponsor.collaborators` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `results.hasResults` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.university of south florida, department of pediatrics|tampa|florida|united states` — added _(2026-05-12)_
- `locations.the core center, cook county health and hospitals system|chicago|illinois|united states` — added _(2026-05-12)_

---

*Canonical: https://parkinsonspathways.com/agent/trials/NCT03177512.md*  
*Source data (authoritative): https://clinicaltrials.gov/study/NCT03177512*  
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