How young people's views about drinking affect HIV prevention in rural Uganda
Perceived Norms About Alcohol Use and HIV/STI Prevention among Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Uganda
This project will find out whether giving adolescents and young adults in rural Uganda correct information about how much their peers really drink helps reduce risky drinking and improve HIV/STI prevention behaviors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project ID | NIH-11195155 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You and other adolescents and young adults in rural Ugandan communities will be asked about your alcohol use, sexual behaviors, and what you think other young people do. Researchers will compare those personal perceptions with actual local peer behavior and provide some participants with accurate feedback about peer drinking and prevention actions. The team will follow participants over time to see whether corrected information changes drinking, condom use, HIV testing, or other prevention steps. The work combines surveys, community data, and a norm-correction intervention delivered where you live.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adolescents and young adults living in the participating rural communities in Uganda, especially those who drink alcohol or are sexually active, are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People outside the target communities or age range, and those with severe alcohol dependence needing clinical treatment, may not benefit from this behavioral approach.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower heavy drinking and reduce HIV/STI risk by helping young people make safer choices based on true peer behavior.
How similar studies have performed: Related norm-correction interventions have changed perceptions and reduced risky behavior in high-income settings, but this approach is largely untested in high HIV-burden rural African populations.
Where this research is happening
Nashville, UNITED STATES
- Vanderbilt University — Nashville, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perkins, Jessica M — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Perkins, Jessica M
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.