Trial reportJournal of medical Internet research2020
Effect of a WeChat-Based Intervention (Run4Love) on Depressive Symptoms Among People Living With HIV in China: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Trial report in Journal of medical Internet research, 2020. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 53 papers, 12 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
53 citing papers in PubMed, 12 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 91 citations in OpenAlex.
- Effectiveness of Telehealth in HIV Management for People Living with HIV and Key Populations: A Systematic Review of Models, Adherence, Viral Suppression, and Behavioral Outcomes.AIDS and behavior · 2026Pooled it
- Association between user engagement and clinical outcomes in smartphone apps for depression and anxiety: A systematic review and meta-analysis.Psychiatry research · 2026Pooled it
- Technologies for healthy lifestyle in people with HIV: a systematic review.Revista da Escola de Enfermagem da U S P · 2025Pooled it
- Evaluating the Efficacy of Psycho-Behavioral Interventions for Cardiovascular Risk among People Living with HIV: A Systematic Review and Meta-Synthesis of Randomized Controlled Trials.Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) · 2024Pooled it
- Heterogeneity of Treatment Effects in Internet- and Mobile-Based Interventions for Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2024Pooled it
- Race, Ethnicity, and Other Cultural Background Factors in Trials of Internet-Based Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for Depression: Systematic Review.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Pooled it
- App-Based Interventions for Moderate to Severe Depression: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.JAMA network open · 2023Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of Self-Management Interventions Conducted Across Global Settings for Depressive Symptoms in Persons with HIV.AIDS and behavior · 2023Pooled it
- Psychosocial interventions for depression delivered by non-mental health specialists to people living with HIV/AIDS in low- and middle-income countries: A systematic review.Journal of global health · 2022Pooled it
- Impact of Smartphone App-Based Psychological Interventions for Reducing Depressive Symptoms in People With Depression: Systematic Literature Review and Meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.JMIR mHealth and uHealth · 2022Pooled it
- Mental health interventions for persons living with HIV in low- and middle-income countries: a systematic review.Journal of the International AIDS Society · 2021Pooled it
- Effectiveness of digital psychological interventions for mental health problems in low-income and middle-income countries: a systematic review and meta-analysis.The lancet. Psychiatry · 2020Pooled it
- Outcomes of a Pilot Mobile App Just-in-Time-Adaptive-Intervention Supporting Coping Skills in Trauma Affected People with HIV.AIDS and behavior · 2026Trial
- Technology-based physical activities and adults' physical activity levels, mental health, life satisfaction, and happiness: a mixed methods study.BMC psychology · 2025Trial
- Effect of a WeChat-Based Hybrid Intervention on the Adaptation Outcomes of People Living With HIV/AIDS: Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2025Trial
- Effect of a Mobile Health-Based Remote Interaction Management Intervention on the Quality of Life and Self-Management Behavior of Patients With Low Anterior Resection Syndrome: Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2024Trial
- Effects of Interventions for Improving Awareness and Knowledge of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Among Chinese Young Adults for Prevention of Liver Cancer-A Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of cancer education : the official journal of the American Association for Cancer Education · 2024Trial
- Trial
- Developing an app-based self-management program for people living with HIV: a randomized controlled pilot study during the COVID-19 pandemic.Scientific reports · 2022Trial
- Long-term Effects of a Social Media-Based Intervention (Run4Love) on Depressive Symptoms of People Living With HIV: 3-Year Follow-up of a Randomized Controlled Trial.Journal of medical Internet research · 2022Trial
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
14 authors at 6 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundPeople living with HIV (PLWH) have high rates of depressive symptoms. However, only a few effective mental health interventions exist for this vulnerable population.
objectiveThe aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of a WeChat-based intervention, Run4Love, with a randomized controlled trial among 300 people living with HIV and depression (PLWHD) in China.
methodsWe recruited PLWH from the HIV outpatient clinic in South China. Participants were screened based on the Center for Epidemiologic Studies-Depression (CES-D) scale. Those who scored 16 or higher were eligible to participate. A total of 300 eligible patients were enrolled. After obtaining informed consent from the participants, completion of a baseline survey, and collection of participants' hair samples for measuring cortisol, the participants were randomly assigned to an intervention or a control group in a 1:1 ratio. The intervention group received the Run4Love program, delivered via the popular social media app WeChat. Cognitive behavioral stress management courses and weekly reminders of exercise were delivered in a multimedia format. Participants' progress was monitored with timely and tailored feedback. The control group received usual care and a brochure on nutrition for PLWH. Data were collected at 3, 6, and 9 months. The primary outcome was depression, which was measured by a validated instrument.
resultsParticipants in the intervention and control groups were comparable at baseline; about 91.3% (139/150), 88.3% (132/150), and 86.7% (130/150) participants completed the 3-, 6-, and 9-month follow-ups, respectively. At the 3-month follow-up, a significant reduction in CES-D score was observed in the intervention group (from 23.9 to 17.7 vs from 24.3 to 23.8; mean difference=-5.77, 95% CI -7.82 to -3.71; P<.001; standard effect size d=0.66). The mean changes in CES-D score from baseline to the 6- and 9-month follow-ups between the two groups remained statistically significant. No adverse events were reported.
conclusionsThe WeChat-based mobile health (mHealth) intervention Run4Love significantly reduced depressive symptoms among PLWHD, and the effect was sustained. An app-based mHealth intervention could provide a feasible therapeutic option for many PLWHD in resource-limited settings. Further research is needed to assess generalizability and cost-effectiveness of this intervention.
trial registrationChinese Clinical Trial Registry ChiCTR-IPR-17012606; http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=21019 (Archived by WebCite at https://www.webcitation.org/78Bw2vouF).
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