Bringing proven HIV prevention education to schools in The Bahamas
National Implementation of an evidence-based HIV prevention program: multilevel scale-up strategies and precision prevention
This project expands a successful school-based HIV prevention program with tailored teacher support so Bahamian preteens and their families learn skills to reduce HIV risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Worcester, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11388080 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a parent, student, or teacher in The Bahamas, this project brings the Focus on Youth in the Caribbean (FOYC) and CImPACT curriculum into more schools and strengthens how teachers deliver it. The team trains teachers, provides biweekly monitoring and feedback, and offers site-based assistance and mentorship alongside new sustainability strategies to improve classroom delivery. The project is run with the Bahamian Ministries of Education and Health and tracks student outcomes like HIV knowledge, condom-use skills, and reported risk behaviors. The aim is to tailor support so more teachers reach implementation benchmarks and the program continues over time.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Bahamian grade 6–8 students and their parents/guardians, plus the teachers and schools implementing the FOYC+CImPACT program.
Not a fit: People not enrolled in participating Bahamian schools, adults outside the school system, or those already living with HIV may not directly benefit from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could reduce HIV risk among Bahamian youth by improving knowledge and safer behaviors through wider and more consistent delivery of a proven curriculum.
How similar studies have performed: Earlier randomized trials showed FOYC+CImPACT improved youth HIV knowledge and condom-use skills, and previous national rollouts with monitoring and mentorship achieved substantial implementation though about 30% of teachers still missed benchmarks.
Where this research is happening
Worcester, United States
- Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester — Worcester, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wang, Bo — Univ of Massachusetts Med Sch Worcester
- Study coordinator: Wang, Bo
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 below.