Linking young women affected by partner violence to HIV prevention options
Meeting adolescent girls and young women who experience intimate partner violence where they are: Developing an implementation strategy for linkage to PrEP options
This project will develop ways to connect adolescent girls and young women who face intimate partner violence in sub‑Saharan Africa with PrEP choices like daily pills, a vaginal ring, or long‑acting injections.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Emory University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Atlanta, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11145154 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you're a young woman who has experienced partner violence, this project aims to design practical ways to help you access HIV prevention through places you already trust, such as rape crisis centers or women's support services. The team will speak with young women, providers, and service organizations in selected sites in sub‑Saharan Africa to learn about barriers, preferences, and safety concerns around daily oral PrEP, the dapivirine ring, and injectable cabotegravir. Using those conversations, they will create a multi‑component implementation plan to link violence‑care services to discreet PrEP options and referral pathways. The goal is to produce steps that clinics and support centers can use to offer safer, more acceptable prevention choices to violence‑exposed young women.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 in sub‑Saharan Africa who have experienced intimate partner violence and are at risk for HIV.
Not a fit: People outside the 15–24 age range, those not experiencing partner violence, or those already using effective HIV prevention options are less likely to benefit from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make it easier for young women who face partner violence to get discreet, effective HIV prevention and reduce their risk of infection.
How similar studies have performed: Oral PrEP and newer long‑acting options like the dapivirine ring and injectable cabotegravir have shown protection in trials, but using violence‑care services as a routine pathway to deliver these options is a relatively new and untested approach.
Where this research is happening
Atlanta, United States
- Emory University — Atlanta, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Giovenco, Danielle — Emory University
- Study coordinator: Giovenco, Danielle
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.