Improving HIV prevention and reducing alcohol use for people in Malawi receiving STI care
Official title: Enhancing HIV prevention and reducing alcohol use among people receiving STI care in Malawi: An HIV status neutral approach
Funded at Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill · NIH-11112531 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This work aims to adapt and test a program that helps people reduce alcohol use, which can also improve HIV prevention and treatment for those receiving care for sexually transmitted infections in Malawi.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chapel Hill, United States) |
| Project start | July 1, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $203,440 |
| NIH project number | 5R34AA030939-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11112531 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this type of program would be adults aged 21 and older who are receiving care for sexually transmitted infections in Malawi and are also engaging in hazardous alcohol use.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not have HIV or are not at risk for HIV, or who do not engage in hazardous alcohol use, may not directly benefit from this specific intervention.
What this research studies
We know that HIV is a major health concern in Malawi, and many people receiving care for sexually transmitted infections (STIs) also struggle with alcohol use, which can make HIV prevention and treatment harder. Our team is taking a proven program called TrEAT, which helps people reduce their alcohol consumption, and adapting it specifically for individuals in STI clinics. This adapted program will support both people living with HIV and those at high risk of getting HIV, helping them manage alcohol use and improve their overall health outcomes. The goal is to create a widely usable tool that can be put into practice in many different settings.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could lead to better ways to prevent HIV and improve treatment results for people in Malawi by addressing hazardous alcohol use.
How similar studies have gone: Previous work has shown that the TrEAT program is effective at reducing alcohol use and improving viral suppression among people with HIV in various global settings, including sub-Saharan Africa.
Where this research is happening
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Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
Chapel Hill, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Parcesepe, Angela — Univ of North Carolina Chapel Hill
- Study coordinator: Parcesepe, Angela
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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.