Improving PrEP use for women who use drugs in Tanzania
Optimizing PrEP Engagement Among Women Who Use Drugs in Tanzania
This project helps women who use drugs in Tanzania start and stay on HIV prevention medicine (PrEP) using motivational counseling and cognitive-behavioral support delivered by trained lay counselors.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11376209 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you are a woman who uses drugs in Dar es Salaam and are worried about HIV, this project adapts two kinds of counseling to help you begin and continue PrEP. Trained paraprofessional counselors will use motivational interviewing focused on PrEP and a brief cognitive-behavioral approach (CETA) to address mental health and substance-use barriers. The team will test whether these counseling supports make it easier for women like you to engage with PrEP services and stick with the medication. Sessions are designed to be delivered locally by counselors with limited prior mental health training.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are adult women who use drugs (for example, heroin) in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, who are HIV-negative and at risk for HIV and are interested in PrEP.
Not a fit: People living with HIV, men, individuals not using drugs, or those living outside the study area are unlikely to benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could make it easier for women who use drugs to start and stay on PrEP, lowering their risk of HIV infection.
How similar studies have performed: Motivational interviewing and CETA have helped with substance use, mental health, and some HIV prevention behaviors in other low-resource settings, but combining them specifically to boost PrEP among women who use drugs is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Saleem, Haneefa Tasleem — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Saleem, Haneefa Tasleem
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.