Mobile app support for older adults with HIV in Ukraine
Official title: Adapting mHealth to improve HIV outcomes among older people with HIV in Ukraine
Funded at Yale University · NIH-11194452 · Data updated 2026-11-12
We will adapt and try a smartphone app to help older Ukrainians living with HIV stay on treatment, track mood and meds, and connect with peers.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2026 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $183,560 |
| NIH project number | 5R21TW012967-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11194452 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are people aged 50 or older living with HIV in Ukraine who can use a smartphone and are interested in peer support and adherence tools.
✕Less likely to help
People without reliable access to a smartphone or internet, those under age 50, or those needing immediate medical interventions may not benefit from this app-based program.
What this research studies
You would use a version of the PositiveLinks app tailored for older people with HIV in Ukraine, with appointment reminders, daily mood/stress/medication check-ins, local educational resources, and a secure anonymous community message board. The research team will work with Ukrainian patients and providers to adapt the app to local language, culture, and health-system needs. The project will pilot the adapted app with older adults living with HIV to see if it improves engagement with care and reduces social isolation. The team builds on PositiveLinks successes in the United States and a prior pilot in Russia while focusing on barriers common to older Ukrainians such as stigma, depression, and multimorbidity.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help older people with HIV in Ukraine stick with treatment, feel less isolated, and improve health outcomes.
How similar studies have gone: A similar app (PositiveLinks) has improved outcomes in the U.S. and was piloted successfully in Russia, but adapting it for older Ukrainians is new.
Where this research is happening
-
Yale University
New Haven, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Shenoi, Sheela — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Shenoi, Sheela
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Adapting a mobile health tool to boost HIV outcomes for older adults with HIV in Ukraine
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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.