NIH funds new program to prevent, treat HIV among adolescents and young adults in low- and middle-income countries
Geri Donenberg, PhD, and Carolyn Bolton-Moore, MD, (MPIs) recently received one of eight newly funded Clinical Research Center awards as part of the Prevention and Treatment through a Comprehensive Care Continuum for HIV-affected Adolescents in Resource Constrained Settings Implementation Science Network (PATC3H-IN) network. Funded by NICHD, (UHD113250A), the Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Lusaka, Zambia, will adapt and implement an evidence-based HIV-prevention program for adolescent girls and young women and their female caregivers. Findings from the original program (IMARA) showed a 43% reduction in incident sexually transmitted infections among 14-18 year-old Black females in U.S. and is currently being evaluated in the South African context. The adapted program, ZAIMARA, will be delivered by peer leaders randomized to receive mental health screening and referral versus a nurse “check-in”, and evaluated in a 2-arm RCT to reduce incident sexually transmitted infections, increase HIV testing and counseling, and improve uptake and persistence of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).
More information can be found here:
https://www.nichd.nih.gov/newsroom/news/100523-PATC3H-IN