Digital health outreach to improve PrEP access for people who use drugs
Official title: Development and pilot implementation of a community-partnered, digital health-enabled outreach strategy to enhance PrEP linkage and retention for people who use substances
Funded at Duke University · NIH-11325640 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A patient-focused project will test a digital platform and outreach approach to help people who use drugs access and stay on HIV PrEP.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Duke University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Durham, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2026 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $726,750 |
| NIH project number | 1R34DA065438-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11325640 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adults who use drugs and are at risk for HIV and are served by community-based outreach programs.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not at risk for HIV or not interested in PrEP may not benefit from this platform.
What this research studies
This project uses a human-centered design process to create a tailored digital health tool that helps people who use drugs connect with long-acting PrEP through mobile outreach clinics. It includes co-design sessions with PWUD and community staff, usability testing, and rapid adjustments based on feedback. The team will pilot the platform with 40 participants across two sites to measure feasibility, usability, and acceptability in real-world community settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could make PrEP more accessible and easier to stick with for people who use drugs.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work suggests digital outreach and community-based delivery can improve PrEP access, though this exact integrated platform is novel for PWUD in mobile outreach.
Where this research is happening
-
Duke University
Durham, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hodges, Jacqueline — Duke University
- Study coordinator: Hodges, Jacqueline
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
mChoice: Boosting PrEP Use and Adherence for Black and Latino MSM with Tailored Training and Support
A national study to help Black and Latino men who have sex with men start and stick with PrEP through culturally matched provider training and patient support.
-
Harnessing male peer networks to boost HIV testing and PrEP use
A large clinical trial in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through male peer networks, with phone support, increases PrEP uptake among men.
-
Harnessing men's peer networks to boost HIV self-testing and PrEP use
A large project in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through men’s social networks, with phone support, can lead to more men starting PrEP and using HIV testing.
-
Participatory system dynamics to improve PrEP access in the Bronx
A community-driven project in the Bronx will use system dynamics to identify practical ways to help people at risk for HIV start and stay on PrEP.
-
TB PrEP: Bringing HIV prevention to households affected by TB in Uganda
Aims to help people in households with TB in Uganda access HIV PrEP as part of a combined prevention approach.
-
CARES: A practical program to help adolescent girls and young women use PrEP in Africa
A program called CARES helps young women in South Africa and Zimbabwe use different PrEP options better, with counseling, reminders, and options for support.
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.