A comprehensive school-based plan to reduce HIV stigma and abuse in boarding schools in Zambia
Official title: A total school approach using safeguarding to address HIV-related stigma and discrimination in boarding schools in Zambia
Funded at University of Southern California · NIH-11583785 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A school-based program in Zambia aims to reduce HIV-related stigma and abuse among youth by implementing safeguarding practices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Southern California NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 9, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $135,620 |
| NIH project number | 3R01TW012663-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11583785 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are students in participating boarding schools in Zambia who are affected by or at risk of HIV-related stigma and abuse.
✕Less likely to help
Students in schools not participating in the intervention or those outside the targeted age group may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project works with boarding schools in Zambia to test a total-school approach that tackles stigma, abuse, and health outcomes for young people affected by HIV. Researchers will pilot safeguarding practices in schools and measure changes in stigma, abuse risk, and health behaviors over time. The study builds on Zambia’s safeguarding guidelines and considers how school culture and peer dynamics influence risk and protection. Findings could help design safer, more supportive school environments that improve health outcomes for vulnerable adolescents in both Zambia and similar settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Potentially safer school environments and healthier HIV-related outcomes for vulnerable adolescents.
How similar studies have gone: Prior stigma-reduction work at school settings has shown promise, but this study applies a comprehensive, country-specific approach that remains relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Southern California
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ferguson, Laura — University of Southern California
- Study coordinator: Ferguson, Laura
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.