CONNECT-A: A multi-component plan to reduce HIV risk by addressing alcohol use and mental health and economic stress in young men
Official title: CONNECT-A: A Multicomponent Intervention to Reduce HIV Vulnerability by Addressing Alcohol Use and Co-Occurring Mental Health and Economic Risks Among Young Men
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11537067 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-based program helps high-risk young men reduce unhealthy drinking, improve PrEP use, and tackle stress and mental health barriers to HIV prevention.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | September 20, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $233,911 |
| NIH project number | 1R34AA033832-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11537067 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
High-risk men who use alcohol and face barriers to PrEP uptake and adherence.
✕Less likely to help
Men not using PrEP or with low HIV risk or different barriers may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project adapts and tests a multicomponent approach that combines patient navigation with alcohol screening and brief intervention to support PrEP engagement. It will move through adaptation, a small open pilot, and a pilot randomized trial in North Carolina with men at high risk for HIV. The goal is to lower alcohol-related HIV risk while making PrEP uptake, adherence, and retention more feasible in real-world settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could increase PrEP use and reduce HIV risk for high-risk men who struggle with alcohol and psychosocial stress.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work supports multicomponent approaches that integrate behavioral support with PrEP engagement, but this exact combination in this population is being tested.
Where this research is happening
-
Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Masa, Rainier Devera — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Masa, Rainier Devera
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Alcohol use, mental health, and HIV-related risk in U.S. high school teens
This project looks at how drinking and mental health relate to behaviors that raise HIV risk among U.S. high school students.
-
The link between alcohol use and intimate partner violence in young people
This study is looking at how drinking alcohol and experiencing intimate partner violence are related as young people grow up, especially focusing on how mental health issues like depression and PTSD might play a role, so we can find better ways to help those affected.
-
Examining the effects of substance use and mental health on HIV care outcomes
This study looks at how drinking too much alcohol, using cocaine or opioids without a prescription, and dealing with depression and anxiety can impact the health of people living with HIV, with the goal of finding better ways to help those facing these challenges.
-
Biomarkers to detect recent heavy drinking in veterans
A doctor-scientist team is testing blood biomarkers to better identify recent excessive alcohol use in veterans so clinicians can screen, counsel, and care for those at risk.
-
Understanding how heavy drinking and anxiety relate in emerging adults
This grant studies how heavy alcohol use and anxiety symptoms interact in young adults (ages 18–34) and what biological stress markers might reveal about that relationship.
-
An integrated mobile health program to reduce SAVA and mental health problems among female sex workers in Kenya
A new mobile health program aims to help female sex workers in Kenya avoid substance abuse, violence, HIV, and depression by delivering group therapy, online resources, and a peer discussion space.
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.