Impact of a family intervention on HIV-positive youth in Zambia

Family Connections cluster RCT in Zambia: Impact of a youth and caregiver intervention on virologic status among HIV-positive youth (ages 15-21)

NIH-funded research Johns Hopkins University · NIH-10911844

This study is looking at how a program called Family Connections can help young people aged 15-21 living with HIV in Zambia by bringing them and their caregivers together to learn and support each other, with the goal of improving their health and making it easier to stick to their medication.

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionJohns Hopkins University NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Baltimore, United States)
Project IDNIH-10911844 on NIH RePORTER

What this research studies

This research investigates how a family-based intervention can help HIV-positive youth aged 15-21 in Zambia achieve better health outcomes. The program, called Family Connections, involves both the youth and their caregivers participating in group sessions designed to enhance social support and reduce stigma. By focusing on improving medication adherence and achieving undetectable viral loads, the intervention aims to address the unique challenges faced by adolescents living with HIV. Participants will engage in separate sessions for youth and caregivers, followed by joint sessions to share insights and skills learned.

Who could benefit from this research

Good fit: Ideal candidates for this research are HIV-positive youth aged 15-21 who are living in Zambia and have caregivers willing to participate.

Not a fit: Patients who are not HIV-positive or those outside the age range of 15-21 may not receive any benefit from this research.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this research could significantly improve the health outcomes of HIV-positive youth by helping them achieve undetectable viral loads.

How similar studies have performed: Previous pilot studies have shown promising results for similar family-based interventions in improving health outcomes for adolescents with chronic illnesses.

Where this research is happening

Baltimore, United States

Researchers

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.
Conditions Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome VirusAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome Virus
Last reviewed 2026-06-10 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.