Background: LuvHub, a couples-based, digital HIV serostatus intervention (DHI), is being evaluated via a 16-month RCT with 389 adult couples. We examined data from the eligibility screening and enrollment procedures to identify lessons learned.

Methods: Online ads were used to recruit the sample and refer them to the study landing webpage with access to the eligibility screener and e-consent. Once individually eligible and consented, individuals provided their own and partner’s contact information, which then triggered a one-time, automatic email and text/SMS invite to the partner to complete the same steps. Once both partners of the couple completed these steps, their responses were compared and evaluated automatically for couple-level eligibility using coded algorithms. Eligible couples were then invited and required to attend a Zoom study onboarding meeting where their identity and relationship status was further verified by a study team member.

Results: 10,845 screener entries were received, of which 4,010 (37%) were incomplete, 4,381 (41%) were ineligible, and 2,416 (22%) were eligible. Of the 2,416 eligible individuals, 1,020 (42%) did not have matching partner data, 126 (5%) had matching partner data (i.e., 63 dyads) that failed couple-level eligibility, and 1,270 (53%) had matching partner data (i.e., 635 couples) that met couple-level eligibility. Of the 635 couples invited to the Zoom onboard meeting, 221 (35%) did not attend or respond to the invite and 414 (65%) did attend. Among the 221 non-attenders, 136 (62%) did not respond to the invite, 44 (20%) scheduled but never showed, and 21 lost interest (10%). Among the 414 who attended, 25 couples were removed from study consideration, either during the Zoom meeting (n=13; e.g., failed relationship questions, declined participation, or had technical difficulties) or because one or both partners failed to complete the required baseline assessment (n=12) for enrollment.

Conclusions: Lessons learned pinpoint ways to maximize efficiency and reduce resources. Additional automatic invite reminders may help better capture partners of those who completed the screener. An automatic scheduling system could also be used to provide couples with convenience to schedule their required Zoom onboarding meeting, which may lead to greater return on attendance.