Motivation Matters! mobile support to help African women who engage in sex work stay on HIV medicine
Official title: Hybrid Type-1 Effectiveness-Implementation Trial of Motivation Matters! A Theory-Based mHealth Intervention to Support Early Antiretroviral Adherence in HIV+ African Women Who Engage in Sex Work
Funded at University of Washington · NIH-11189719 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A phone-based program using tailored reminders and motivational messages to help African women who engage in sex work keep taking their HIV medicines.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Washington NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Seattle, United States) |
| Project start | September 9, 2024 |
| Project end | June 30, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $660,772 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH132536-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11189719 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
People ideal for this work are HIV-positive African women who engage in sex work and who are starting or having trouble staying on antiretroviral therapy.
✕Less likely to help
Those who are not HIV-positive, are outside the study locations, lack phone access, or are already reliably undetectable on treatment are unlikely to benefit from joining this project.
What this research studies
You would get a mobile intervention that sends personalized messages, reminders, and support based on what helps you take your HIV medicine. The program was designed with input from women who engage in sex work to make the content acceptable and useful. In the project, some participants will use the app while others get usual care so the team can compare outcomes like viral load, adherence, and satisfaction. The study includes regular check-ins, questionnaires, and health measurements to see whether the mobile support helps people stay on treatment.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help participants stay on antiretroviral therapy more consistently and reach undetectable viral loads, improving health and reducing transmission risk.
How similar studies have gone: Past large trials in this population have not shown strong effects, but the team’s small randomized test showed the app is acceptable and gave early signs of benefit, so the approach is promising but not yet proven.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Washington
Seattle, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mcclelland, Raymond Scott — University of Washington
- Study coordinator: Mcclelland, Raymond Scott
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Motivation for Alcohol Use in Humans and How It Can Be Measured
This grant explores how people are motivated to drink alcohol and tests a safe, controlled way to study that motivation to inform better treatments for alcohol use disorder.
-
Effects of ADT on motivation and emotion in prostate cancer patients
This project looks at how androgen deprivation therapy may affect motivation and mood over time in men with prostate cancer.
-
SMART: a program to help people who use drugs in Atlanta stay on HIV prevention and treatment
A new program aims to help people who use drugs in Atlanta, especially those who are unhoused or unstably housed, stay connected to HIV prevention and treatment and related services.
-
Understanding how kids with autism talk and stay motivated across ages and people
A long-term study following autistic and non-autistic kids from late childhood into early adolescence to see how social communication and motivation change over time.
-
Motivation Matters! a smartphone support tool to boost HIV medicines adherence in HIV+ sex workers
A smartphone-based program helps HIV+ women who sex-work with adherence to antiretroviral therapy, aiming to keep their HIV under control.
-
Understanding motivation in the brain's VTA GABA/glutamate system and its link to mood disorders
A researcher at Dartmouth will study how a specific brain circuit that uses both inhibitory and excitatory signals influences motivation and mood disorders like depression and bipolar disorder.
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.