Improving HIV testing and PrEP access in a southern jail
Hybrid implementation-effectiveness study to optimize HIV testing and PrEP in a southern jail (HOTSPOT)
This project works with a Dallas jail to provide easier HIV testing and help people at risk start and stay on PrEP.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Ut Southwestern Medical Center NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Dallas, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11285466 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are detained at the Dallas County Jail, the team will offer HIV testing, PrEP education, and help start PrEP when appropriate, then connect you to community clinics after release. The researchers are partnering with jail staff, public health, and community providers to build a step-by-step program using the EPIS framework (exploration, preparation, implementation, sustainment). They will track how well the program reaches people, how many start PrEP, and whether people stay connected to care after leaving jail. The goal is to create a practical approach that can keep working in this jail and be adapted for other southern jails.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people detained in Dallas County Jail who are HIV-negative but at risk for HIV (for example, through sexual exposure or injection drug use) and eligible for PrEP.
Not a fit: People who are already HIV-positive, already stably receiving PrEP in community care, or who are never detained in the participating jail are unlikely to benefit directly from this program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could raise HIV testing and PrEP use among people who pass through jail and reduce new HIV infections by improving linkage to ongoing care.
How similar studies have performed: Other pilot programs offering HIV testing and linkage to care in correctional settings have shown promise, but initiating and sustaining PrEP in jails—especially in the southern US—is still relatively new and less tested.
Where this research is happening
Dallas, United States
- Ut Southwestern Medical Center — Dallas, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Nijhawan, Ank Elisabeth — Ut Southwestern Medical Center
- Study coordinator: Nijhawan, Ank Elisabeth
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.