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Enhancing communication on relationship preservation, safer conception and PrEP to promote HIV testing

Award Number: R34MH132473
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

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Enhancing communication on relationship preservation, safer conception and PrEP to promote HIV testing - PROJECT SUMMARY Optimizing uptake of HIV testing is critical to meeting 95-95-95 goals in sub-Saharan Africa. As 30% of new infections in occur within married or cohabitating couples, maximizing testing among individuals who are or may someday be in serious heterosexual relationships has been identified as one of the most cost-effective strategies to curb the epidemic. Childbearing is highly valued throughout Sub-Saharan Africa, and fears of relationship dissolution and loss of the ability to have children remain significant barriers to HIV testing. The expanding availability of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) presents an opportunity to counter these fears with strategic communication (NOT-MH-21-105) that reassure couples of their ability to have a healthy family even if one or both members are HIV positive. Our long-term objective is to leverage the growing availability of PrEP to determine if and how a communication strategy focused on relationship preservation and safer conception can increase testing and entry into treatment (antiretroviral therapy) or prevention (PrEP) among partnered individuals in Uganda. We recently successfully piloted this communication strategy within Uganda’s assisted partner notification program (APN). In this R34, we will: (1) conduct formative research to expand the communication strategy into a multi-component intervention with broader reach; and (2) conduct a pilot trial of the intervention, PrEPing Healthy Families. To achieve Aim 1, we will work with a community advisory board (CAB) of providers to a) create communication materials (brochures, scripts) and counseling protocols tailored to clients and partners across the array of couples’ testing pathways in APN and antenatal care (ANC). As CAB providers pilot materials and tracking systems with clients and partners during this development phase, study staff will conduct field observations and qualitative interviews focused on feasibility and acceptability, informing revised intervention materials. To achieve Aim 2, we will collect baseline data at APN and ANC clinics within two large public healthcare facilities over nine months. Sites will then be randomized to implement PrEPing Healthy Families or their existing communication approach (usual care) over the next nine months. We will collect mixed-methods data on feasibility and acceptability through intervention tracking in APN/ANC registers, client exit surveys, and qualitative interviews with clients, partners and providers. Through register extraction, we will examine limited efficacy on outcomes that would be relevant to a larger trial (partner HIV testing, client service uptake initiation of PrEP/ART), and explore potential moderators. Overall, results will yield important insights in a promising new communication strategy (NOT-MH-21-105) that may connect more individuals to the HIV cascades of care for treatment or prevention and prepare us for a large-scale, cluster randomized controlled trial to determine impact on testing and initiation of PrEP/ART.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $177,109 )
2025	2025	CHILDRENS MERCY HOSPITAL	2401 GILLHAM RD	KANSAS CITY	MO	64108	JACKSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	3	12/19/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$177,109
														Subtotal = $177,109

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $202,531 )
2024	2024	CHILDRENS MERCY HOSPITAL	2401 GILLHAM RD	KANSAS CITY	MO	64108	JACKSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	2	11/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$182,279
2024	2024	CHILDRENS MERCY HOSPITAL	2401 GILLHAM RD	KANSAS CITY	MO	64108	JACKSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	2	11/7/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2024	2024	CHILDRENS MERCY HOSPITAL	2401 GILLHAM RD	KANSAS CITY	MO	64108	JACKSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	002	2	7/5/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$20,252
														Subtotal = $202,531

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $221,293 )
2023	2023	CHILDRENS MERCY HOSPITAL	2401 GILLHAM RD	KANSAS CITY	MO	64108	JACKSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	001	1	4/13/2023	NEW	$0
2023	2023	CHILDREN'S MERCY HOSPITAL, THE	2401 GILLHAM RD	KANSAS CITY	MO	64108	JACKSON	USA	Mental Health Research Grants	000	1	12/23/2022	NEW	$221,293
														Subtotal = $221,293

Grand Total All Awards = $600,933

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Enhancing communication on relationship preservation, safer conception and PrEP to promote HIV testing

Award Number: R34MH132473

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF MENTAL HEALTH

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 01/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 11/30/2025

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