Combined peer support and online program to help HIV prevention for youths
Official title: A Combined Peer Navigator and Web-Based Intervention for Youth to Prevent HIV and Reduce Alcohol Use
Funded at Northeastern University · NIH-11474091 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A youth-focused program combines a web-based alcohol/sexual risk intervention with peer counseling and navigation to reduce HIV risk and alcohol use.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northeastern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2031 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $699,800 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AA032475-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11474091 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are adolescents and young adults at risk for HIV who use alcohol or cannabis and may benefit from enhanced support to initiate or adhere to PrEP.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not engage with digital tools or peer navigation may see limited benefit from this approach.
What this research studies
This project adapts a brief online program with personalized feedback for alcohol and sexual risk, adds manualized motivational interviewing by trained peer counselors, and includes peer navigation to connect young people to services. The approach aims to boost engagement and referrals by making support more relatable and easier to access. It is being tested in a Tampa clinic serving high-need, young adults at risk for HIV, with data suggesting navigators can improve linkage to care beyond a digital tool alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could lower HIV risk and reduce substance-related barriers to prevention among young people.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary findings show higher referral uptake with navigators, but broader effectiveness needs confirmation.
Where this research is happening
-
Northeastern University
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Leeman, Robert F. — Northeastern University
- Study coordinator: Leeman, Robert F.
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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.