Mobile phone program to help people with HIV manage depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and high blood pressure in Uganda
An mHealth implementation strategy to address the syndemic of mental illness, hypertension, and HIV in Uganda
This project uses mobile phone tools to help people living with HIV in Uganda get more coordinated care for depression, anxiety, alcohol use, and high blood pressure.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Yale University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New Haven, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11401484 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you live with HIV in Uganda and also struggle with depression, anxiety, alcohol use, or high blood pressure, this project aims to link those needs into your regular HIV care using phone-based tools. The team will introduce mHealth tools that can screen, triage, and prompt clinic staff while reducing extra paperwork for busy health workers. The approach explicitly addresses how social problems like stigma and poverty interact with these conditions so care can be better coordinated. Clinics using the tools will be followed to see how well the system works and how acceptable it is to patients and staff.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people living with HIV in Uganda who have or are at risk for depression, anxiety, alcohol use disorder, or hypertension and who can be reached by mobile phone.
Not a fit: People without reliable access to a mobile phone, those outside the study clinics or Uganda, or those without the targeted co-occurring conditions may not benefit from this specific program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could make it easier for people with HIV to get timely, private, and coordinated care for mental health, alcohol problems, and high blood pressure using their phones.
How similar studies have performed: Previous mHealth projects have shown promise in improving HIV care, mental health, or hypertension separately, but applying an integrated 'syndemic' mHealth approach in this setting is relatively novel.
Where this research is happening
New Haven, United States
- Yale University — New Haven, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Schwartz, Jeremy Ian — Yale University
- Study coordinator: Schwartz, Jeremy Ian
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.