A Social Norms Pilot to Boost PrEP Use Among Out-of-School Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Africa
Official title: A Pilot Social Norms Intervention to Engage Social Networks of Urban Adolescent Girls and Young Women in PrEP: Msichana Salama
Funded at American University · NIH-11191098 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A small pilot project tests a social-network approach to help out-of-school adolescent girls and young women in Africa start and stay on PrEP to prevent HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | American University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Washington, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 10, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $145,735 |
| NIH project number | 1R34MH138249-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11191098 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are out-of-school adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 who are at risk for HIV and live in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania.
✕Less likely to help
Participants not at risk for HIV or not willing to engage with PrEP and social-network activities may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project will test a social norms-based program called Msichana Salama to encourage PrEP use and adherence among networks of mostly out-of-school AGYW in Dar es Salaam. It will engage 24 sociocentric networks (about 224 participants) to see if changing how peers influence risk behaviors can increase PrEP uptake and ongoing use. The study uses a practical, community-based approach to measure feasibility, adherence, and reductions in risky behaviors like transactional sex. Results will inform larger efforts to scale PrEP delivery through social networks that support young women’s health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the intervention could increase PrEP uptake and adherence among AGYW, potentially lowering HIV infection risk in this high-need group.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work showed feasibility of network-based approaches; this pilot aims to establish feasibility and acceptability in a new setting and population.
Where this research is happening
-
American University
Washington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Yamanis, Thespina Jeanne — American University
- Study coordinator: Yamanis, Thespina Jeanne
Related research
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CARES: A practical program to help adolescent girls and young women use PrEP in Africa
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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.