Digital tool to spot and reduce stigma for people with HIV in Nepal
Official title: Developing and testing a digital health tool for INterseCtional stigma assessment and reduction at multiple Levels and mUltiple DimEnsions (INCLUDE) to improve HIV care in ART centers in Nepal
Funded at University of California, San Francisco · NIH-11414871 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will build and try a clinic-friendly digital tool to help people with HIV in Nepal identify and reduce stigma they face during care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project start | August 5, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $85,544 |
| NIH project number | 3R01TW012682-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11414871 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are people living with HIV who receive care at participating ART centers in Nepal and are willing to use a brief digital assessment during clinic visits.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not receive HIV care at the participating Nepal clinics or who cannot use a simple digital tool (for example, due to severe cognitive impairment) are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
What this research studies
You would use a simple digital tool during clinic visits that asks short questions and lets you describe your experiences in your own words. The tool creates a dashboard that combines your answers with routine clinic information so healthcare workers can see what kinds of stigma are affecting you. The team co-designed the tool with people living with HIV and local clinic staff to make sure it fits local needs. The researchers will pilot the tool in ART centers in Nepal to see how it works in real clinic settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the tool could help clinic teams notice and address stigma earlier, improving attendance and overall HIV care for patients.
How similar studies have gone: Small, human-centered digital interventions for HIV care have shown promise in improving engagement and adherence, but comprehensive digital tools focused on intersectional stigma remain novel and not yet widely proven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California, San Francisco
San Francisco, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Acharya, Bibhav — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Acharya, Bibhav
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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.