HOPE: A prison-based program to boost HIV prevention for inmates in Kyrgyzstan
Official title: Accelerating HIV prevention in high-risk prison environments
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11455251 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A 6-week program called HOPE helps prisoners in Kyrgyzstan learn about HIV, manage mental health, and build skills to access HIV prevention services like medications and clean needles.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | August 15, 2025 |
| Project end | May 31, 2030 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $208,283 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DA062557-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11455251 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults in Kyrgyzstan prisons who are at high risk for HIV and eligible for OAT/SSP services.
✕Less likely to help
Inmates who are not at risk for HIV or who have no access to prevention services may experience little direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project builds on prior work to adapt HOPE for inmates, delivering HIV literacy, mental health support, and addiction self-management in a structured 6-week format. Participants receive HIV screening, education, mindfulness sessions, and empowerment training to reduce stigma and improve uptake of prevention services such as OAT and SSP. The study uses a type 1 hybrid design to measure both how well HOPE works and what helps or hinders implementation in prison settings. Outcomes include OAT/SSP uptake, mental health indicators, and program feasibility for scaling up. The focus is on Kyrgyzstan prisons, with Yale leading a multinational collaboration to adapt and test the intervention in real-world conditions.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, HOPE could increase HIV prevention service use among inmates and reduce transmission in high-risk prison environments.
How similar studies have gone: Prior interventions struggled with uptake, but HOPE builds on evidence-informed components and shows promise in improving prevention engagement.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rozanova, Julia — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Rozanova, Julia
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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.