Helping women living with HIV who use drugs stay connected to care
Adaptation and evaluation of an intervention to increase HIV care engagement among women who use drugs
This project offers a small-group program to reduce HIV- and drug-use stigma and help women living with HIV who use drugs stay on treatment and in care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11414828 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a small, multi-session group where you learn practical cognitive and behavioral skills to cope with stigma and build support. The sessions teach communication skills to respond to stigma and ways to get and use social support. A social worker co-facilitator will help connect you to HIV care, medications, and other services that make it easier to stay in treatment. The program is adapted specifically for women living with HIV who use drugs and the local context in Ukraine.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Women living with HIV who currently use or recently used drugs and who are in Ukraine, especially those having trouble staying in HIV care or taking ART.
Not a fit: People who are not living with HIV, who do not use drugs, or who are already well engaged and stable in HIV care are unlikely to benefit from this intervention.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help participants feel less stigma, improve adherence to HIV medications, and stay engaged in HIV care.
How similar studies have performed: Related small-group, skills-based stigma interventions have shown promise for improving care engagement in other settings, but applying a combined HIV-and-drug-use stigma approach for women in Ukraine is a newer adaptation.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Owczarzak, Jill — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Owczarzak, Jill
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 below.