HIV self-testing for partners of postpartum women to improve prevention and treatment
Ukubandakanya abesilisisa: HIV self-testing for Partners of HIV-uninfected Postpartum Women to facilitate PrEP and ART uptake to promote HIV treatment and prevention
This study is all about helping new moms in South Africa stay HIV-free by giving their partners easy-to-use self-testing kits, so they can learn their HIV status together and get the right treatments if needed.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-10762152 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
This research focuses on improving HIV prevention among postpartum women in South Africa by providing HIV self-testing kits to their male partners. The approach aims to increase awareness of HIV status within couples, facilitating the uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) for women and effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) for men. By addressing barriers to traditional HIV testing, such as stigma and privacy concerns, the study seeks to empower men to take an active role in HIV prevention. The research will involve distributing self-testing kits and providing counseling to support women in remaining HIV-uninfected during the postpartum period.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates for participation include postpartum women in South Africa and their male partners, particularly those who are HIV-uninfected.
Not a fit: Patients who are already HIV-positive or those not in a partnership with a postpartum woman may not benefit from this research.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly reduce the risk of HIV transmission to postpartum women and their infants.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research has shown that self-testing approaches can effectively increase HIV testing rates and awareness, indicating potential success for this novel application.
Where this research is happening
Boston, United States
- Massachusetts General Hospital — Boston, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Psaros, Christina — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Psaros, Christina
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.