Digital support to prevent HIV in vulnerable teens and young adults
Official title: Keeping it LITE 2: Exploring HIV Risk in Vulnerable Youth with Limited Interaction and Digital Health Intervention (LITE-2)
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11400279 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will try a smartphone-based program to help sexually active teens and young adults at risk for HIV stay connected to prevention services and stick with medicines like PrEP or ART.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | May 19, 2022 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $1,609,431 |
| NIH project number | 5UH3AI169631-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11400279 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are sexually active adolescents and young adults in the US, roughly ages 13–34, who are at risk for HIV or who are taking PrEP or ART.
✕Less likely to help
People who are outside the target age range, not sexually active, or unable/unwilling to use mobile or online tools may not benefit directly from this program.
What this research studies
You would join a large online group of sexually active adolescents and young adults (about 3,000 people aged 13–34) who are followed over time. Participation uses a digital health platform called HealthMPowerment (HMP) for recruitment, engagement, and ongoing check-ins about sexual behavior, prevention choices, and medication use. Some participants will get the basic HMP program while others will get an enhanced version with extra adherence tools for people on PrEP or ART, and the study will test how those additions work. The team will also try targeted new digital interventions and look at social and environmental factors that affect prevention and treatment choices.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower HIV infections in young people by improving access to prevention tools and helping those on PrEP or ART stay on their medicines.
How similar studies have gone: Mobile and digital outreach programs have shown promise for improving engagement and adherence in HIV prevention and care, but large, long-term trials specifically in adolescents and young adults remain limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hosek, Sybil — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Hosek, Sybil
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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.