Couples support to lower drug use and HIV risk for male couples
Official title: Couples Motivational Interviewing to reduce drug use and HIV risk in vulnerable male couples
Funded at Hunter College · NIH-11131189 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a new type of counseling for male couples to help them reduce drug use and lower their risk of HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Hunter College NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | September 30, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $689,334 |
| NIH project number | 5R01DA059272-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11131189 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are sexual minority men in relationships, particularly those under age 35, who are looking for support to reduce drug use and lower their HIV risk.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who are not in a male couple relationship or are not interested in addressing drug use or HIV risk may not find this intervention beneficial.
What this research studies
We are testing a new counseling approach called Couples Health Project (CHP), which uses motivational interviewing to help male couples work together on shared health goals. This program focuses on the couple as a unit, providing strategies to manage disagreements and create joint plans to reduce drug use and prevent HIV. The goal is to see if this multi-session intervention, led by trained counselors, can effectively help couples make positive changes. This approach is especially designed for sexual minority men in relationships, a group that faces a higher risk of HIV infection.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this counseling could provide a new, effective way for male couples to reduce drug use and significantly lower their risk of HIV transmission.
How similar studies have gone: While individual and group motivational interviewing has shown success, applying it effectively with couples has been challenging, making this a novel approach.
Where this research is happening
-
Hunter College
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Starks, Tyrel J — Hunter College
- Study coordinator: Starks, Tyrel J
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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.