Collaborative mental health care for pregnant and new mothers with HIV in Kenya
Official title: Integration of a collaborative care model for mental health services into HIV care for pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya (the Tunawiri Study)
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11091626 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will bring mental health support into regular HIV and antenatal care to help pregnant and postpartum women with HIV manage depression, anxiety, stigma, and partner violence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $301,060 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH133260-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11091626 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are pregnant or postpartum women living with HIV who attend participating antenatal or HIV clinics in Kenya and are experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not have HIV, are not pregnant or postpartum, live outside the program clinics in Kenya, or need urgent inpatient psychiatric care are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
What this research studies
If you are pregnant or recently had a baby and living with HIV, this program would add mental health help directly into the clinics you already visit. Care would be provided by trained peer mentor mothers and non-specialist behavioral care managers, with support from psychiatric nurses and a consulting psychiatrist. The approach uses a collaborative care model plus a brief problem-solving therapy to address depression and anxiety while also targeting stigma and intimate partner violence. Researchers will follow how well the services work, how much they cost, and how they might be sustained in routine clinic care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could improve mothers' mood and anxiety, help people stay engaged in HIV care, and support better health for both mothers and babies.
How similar studies have gone: Collaborative care and problem-solving therapy have helped people with depression in other settings, but embedding these services into routine antenatal HIV care in Kenya is relatively new and focused on implementation.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Abuogi, Lisa Lynn — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Abuogi, Lisa Lynn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Collaborative mental health care for HIV-positive pregnant and postpartum women in Kenya
A project tests a team-based approach to treat depression and anxiety for pregnant and new mothers with HIV in Kenya, using existing clinic staff and a low-intensity therapy.
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Collaborative mental health care for pregnant and postpartum women with HIV in Kenya
A program to bring proven mental health care into routine HIV and prenatal services for Kenyan women who are pregnant or recently postpartum and living with HIV.
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Mental health support for pregnant and postpartum women living with HIV in Kenya
This project brings team-based mental health care into antenatal and postpartum HIV clinics in Kenya to help women with depression, anxiety, and staying on HIV treatment.
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Understanding how early life experiences affect maternal mental health after childbirth
This study is looking at how good experiences in childhood and strong coping skills during pregnancy can help new moms feel better mentally after giving birth, especially for those who have dealt with a lot of stress in their lives.
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Wearable tech to track blood loss during childbirth
A wearable device monitors cardiovascular signals to detect postpartum hemorrhage early so clinicians can act quickly to protect mothers.
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HIV treatment and postpartum weight help after birth in South Africa
A small, patient-friendly study is testing a lay health worker–led program to support postpartum women living with HIV in staying on ART and managing weight.
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.