Linkages between HIV prevention and risky behaviors in high-risk youth
Official title: Linkages between HIV/STI prevention and syndemic behaviors in high risk youth: Common factors and unique pathways
Funded at University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt · NIH-11376000 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study with youth ages 13-24 explores how HIV/STI prevention programs relate to other risk behaviors to find common factors and unique pathways.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Farmington, United States) |
| Project start | September 5, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $663,647 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HL167647-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11376000 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Youth ages 13-24 at risk for HIV/STIs who participate in prevention programs.
✕Less likely to help
Youth not engaged in prevention programs or outside the target age range may not benefit.
What this research studies
Young people at risk for HIV/STIs often have multiple overlapping risk behaviors. This project builds on previous trials by examining how different prevention approaches affect not only HIV risk but also related, syndemic behaviors. The team will use both clinical expertise and quantitative analysis to identify how youth–provider relationships and other common factors influence outcomes. Participants would be drawn from HIV/STI prevention settings and followed over time to see how interventions impact multiple risk domains. The goal is to tailor future programs to the pathways most strongly linked to sustained risk reduction.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the findings could help tailor HIV/STI prevention programs to address related risk behaviors in youth.
How similar studies have gone: Previous prevention trials showed improvements but small effect sizes, suggesting the need to understand shared factors to boost impact.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
Farmington, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W. — University of Connecticut Sch of Med/dnt
- Study coordinator: Feldstein Ewing, Sarah W.
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.