Helping adults with HIV who drink too much in Zambia and Alabama

Zambia Alabama HIV Alcohol Comorbidities Program (ZAMBAMA)

NIH-funded research University of Alabama at Birmingham · NIH-11419505

This program offers counseling to help adults with HIV who drink too much cut back on alcohol and stay on their HIV treatment in clinics in Zambia and Alabama.

Quick facts

Grant typeP01 program project
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionUniversity of Alabama at Birmingham NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Birmingham, United States)
Project IDNIH-11419505 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

You would join if you are an adult (21+) with HIV who drinks more than is healthy and receive care at a participating clinic. Participants in two randomized trials will be offered a counseling program called CETA or the usual clinic care, and staff will track alcohol use, medication adherence, and HIV viral load over time. The team will study which parts of the counseling help, whether it works differently for people with other health or mental health issues or by sex, and how results compare between Zambia and Alabama. The project will also measure costs and practical steps needed to make this counseling part of routine HIV care.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Adults aged 21 and older with HIV who report unhealthy alcohol use and receive care at participating HIV clinics in Zambia or Alabama are the intended candidates.

Not a fit: People without HIV, those who do not have unhealthy alcohol use, minors under 21, or patients receiving care outside the participating clinic sites are unlikely to be eligible or directly benefit.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could help people with HIV drink less, take their HIV medicines more consistently, and achieve better viral control.

How similar studies have performed: CETA and other transdiagnostic counseling approaches have reduced substance use and improved mental health in prior trials, but applying CETA specifically to improve HIV outcomes across different countries is a newer step.

Where this research is happening

Birmingham, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency SyndromeAcquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency SyndromeAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.