AskDoki: a mobile chat bot to improve adolescent sexual health in Kenyan youth
Official title: AskDoki: Evaluation of a mobile health intervention to improve sexual and reproductive health outcomes among Kenyan adolescents living inurban informal settlements
Funded at Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation · NIH-11609202 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A mobile AI chat bot, AskDoki, will provide on-demand sexual and reproductive health information to 15-year-olds in urban Kenyan communities, with support from trained youth peer leaders.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Beltsville, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $72,782 |
| NIH project number | 3R21TW012623-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11609202 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
15-year-old adolescents living in urban informal settlements in Kenya who have access to a mobile phone and can use WhatsApp, with parental/guardian consent as required.
✕Less likely to help
Teens without access to mobile devices or who do not engage with digital health tools may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project tests an AI-powered WhatsApp chat bot called AskDoki to deliver accurate, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health information outside traditional classrooms. It will pair the chat bot with trained peers to extend reach to adolescents who may not have easy access to phones or formal education. The team will measure outcomes and implementation factors to see if the approach can be reproduced in different settings and translated to other contexts. The study is conducted in Kenya, with potential insights for improving adolescent health practices in the U.S. and other regions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could expand access to reliable ASRH information for teens who are hard to reach through schools.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary data suggest AI chat bots can increase reach for health information among youth, but broader, rigorous testing is needed.
Where this research is happening
-
Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation
Beltsville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Luseno, Winfred K — Pacific Institute for Res and Evaluation
- Study coordinator: Luseno, Winfred K
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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.