Multilevel alcohol use and HIV risk among young men
Official title: Role of Multilevel Alcohol Use in HIV Risk among Young Men
Funded at Northwestern University · NIH-11470969 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A short, plain-English look at how drinking patterns among young men relate to HIV risk, studied in Chicago.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2026 |
| Project end | August 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $190,000 |
| NIH project number | 1R21AA033025-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11470969 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are young men aged 14-29 in Chicago who drink alcohol and may be at risk for HIV.
✕Less likely to help
Young men outside the Chicago area or those not engaging in alcohol-related sexual risk may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project will explore how where and with whom young men drink affects their risk for HIV. Researchers will collect information from about 150 young men aged 14-29 in Chicago, plus 20 in-depth interviews, to understand how individual, network, and venue factors come together. The study uses surveys and interviews to map patterns of alcohol use, sexual risk, and access to care in real-world settings. Findings could reveal multilevel points to intervene and reduce HIV vulnerability in youth communities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the work could inform targeted prevention strategies that address social and environmental contexts to lower HIV risk among young men who drink.
How similar studies have gone: Some studies link alcohol use to HIV risk, but this project’s multilevel integration is relatively novel for this population.
Where this research is happening
-
Northwestern University
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Phillips, Gregory L. — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Phillips, Gregory L.
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
Biomarkers to detect recent heavy drinking in veterans
A doctor-scientist team is testing blood biomarkers to better identify recent excessive alcohol use in veterans so clinicians can screen, counsel, and care for those at risk.
-
Understanding how heavy drinking and anxiety relate in emerging adults
This grant studies how heavy alcohol use and anxiety symptoms interact in young adults (ages 18–34) and what biological stress markers might reveal about that relationship.
-
Understanding how veterans access care for alcohol use and behavioral health
A study following 2,000 post-9/11 veterans to see how alcohol use, PTSD, and depression relate to access to behavioral health care over four years.
-
Understanding how peer norms around alcohol and HIV prevention affect adolescents and young adults in rural Uganda
This project studies how what young people think their peers do or approve of influences drinking and HIV prevention behaviors in rural Uganda, with the goal of improving health outcomes.
-
Mentor Moms+: a community-led plan to cut alcohol use and HIV risk during pregnancy in South Africa
A community-based program adapts a trusted peer-led model to help pregnant and lactating people reduce alcohol use and HIV risk in South Africa.
-
Functional Connectivity-Guided TMS for Alcohol Use Disorder
A new approach uses targeted brain stimulation to help people with alcohol use disorder stay abstinent longer by focusing treatment on specific brain circuits.
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.