AI-powered tools to help youth choose PrEP and stay engaged in HIV prevention
Official title: AI-supported implementation strategies for youth engagement in PrEP care
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11537032 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new NIH grant will test AI-assisted supports on a digital platform to help youths aged 13–24 learn about PrEP options, choose the right method, and access benefits.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 17, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,961,931 |
| NIH project number | 1R01HD124954-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11537032 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Young people aged 13–24 at risk for HIV who are considering PrEP and are able to use a digital platform.
✕Less likely to help
Youth who have no access to digital platforms or who are not seeking PrEP may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project adapts a digital platform to provide personalized guidance for PrEP use among adolescents and young adults in the US. It will test three AI-enabled modules—motivational messaging, PrEP modality choice support, and navigation for eligibility and benefits—within a structured optimization framework. The team will identify which components work best together to improve engagement in PrEP care while ensuring safety and privacy for young users. The study is designed to inform how AI can streamline PrEP access and decision-making in real-world clinical settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could increase PrEP awareness, help more youths start and stay on PrEP, and simplify enrollment in prevention benefits.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work suggests digital health and decision-support tools can improve engagement, but AI-augmented strategies for youth PrEP are still being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Merrill, Katherine Gannett — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Merrill, Katherine Gannett
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
mChoice: Boosting PrEP Use and Adherence for Black and Latino MSM with Tailored Training and Support
A national study to help Black and Latino men who have sex with men start and stick with PrEP through culturally matched provider training and patient support.
-
Harnessing male peer networks to boost HIV testing and PrEP use
A large clinical trial in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through male peer networks, with phone support, increases PrEP uptake among men.
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Harnessing men's peer networks to boost HIV self-testing and PrEP use
A large project in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through men’s social networks, with phone support, can lead to more men starting PrEP and using HIV testing.
-
Participatory system dynamics to improve PrEP access in the Bronx
A community-driven project in the Bronx will use system dynamics to identify practical ways to help people at risk for HIV start and stay on PrEP.
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TB PrEP: Bringing HIV prevention to households affected by TB in Uganda
Aims to help people in households with TB in Uganda access HIV PrEP as part of a combined prevention approach.
-
CARES: A practical program to help adolescent girls and young women use PrEP in Africa
A program called CARES helps young women in South Africa and Zimbabwe use different PrEP options better, with counseling, reminders, and options for support.
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.