Hybrid approach to peer-supported mood and incentive program to reduce HIV risk among women who inject drugs
Official title: Hybrid Trial of Peer-Supported Affect Regulation and Contingency Management to Improve HIV Prevention Outcomes in the Southern United States
Funded at Wake Forest University Health Sciences · NIH-11537936 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A pilot program tests a combined peer-supported mood-boosting approach with contingency management to help stimulant-using women who inject drugs reduce HIV risk.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Wake Forest University Health Sciences NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Winston-Salem, United States) |
| Project start | August 1, 2025 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $154,358 |
| NIH project number | 3R61DA064042-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11537936 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are stimulant-using women who inject drugs in the southern United States who are at risk for HIV acquisition and open to peer-supported, mood-enhancing strategies.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not using stimulant drugs or not at risk for HIV acquisition may receive limited or no direct benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
This project develops a scalable program called SHE CARES that blends contingency management with positive affect activities to help stimulant-using women who inject drugs lower their HIV acquisition risk. The team will use human-centered design to tailor the program for end users, run a pilot, and test objective measures of risk reduction across two waves. It also compares SHE CARES to an informational plus contingency management control to see which approach works best in real-world settings. The work is conducted in partnership with communities and focused on practical implementation in the southern United States.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help more WWID reduce stimulant use and HIV risk through a motivating, person-centered approach.
How similar studies have gone: Previous contingency management and positive affect interventions have shown promise, but this tailored combination for WWID is being tested in this setting.
Where this research is happening
-
Wake Forest University Health Sciences
Winston-Salem, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lancaster, Kathryn Elizabeth — Wake Forest University Health Sciences
- Study coordinator: Lancaster, Kathryn Elizabeth
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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.