Nurse- and Peer-Led Suicide Prevention in Tajikistan
Official title: Nurse and Peer Led Suicide Prevention in Tajikistan
Funded at University of Illinois at Chicago · NIH-11404428 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A new program in Tajikistan would test a nurse- and peer-led approach to preventing suicide among women at risk, delivered through primary care clinics.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Illinois at Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 3, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $100,447 |
| NIH project number | 5R34MH136247-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404428 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women in Tajikistan who are at moderate or high risk for suicide and are receiving care in primary health clinics.
✕Less likely to help
Women with very low suicide risk or those not engaged with primary care may not benefit.
What this research studies
This project adapts a proven PREVAIL model to Tajikistan using a co-design process with local partners to fit rural and urban primary care. It will pilot the SUSTAIN model with 96 women at moderate to high suicide risk, randomly assigning half to the new model and half to enhanced usual care, then follow everyone for 9 months. The effort builds on 15 years of prior work in Tajikistan, including nurse and peer interventions and prior women’s mental health research, to create a scalable, community-informed approach. The study will measure how well the model can be implemented in real clinics and whether it improves factors linked to suicide risk.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, patients could receive a scalable, culturally tailored program in primary care that may reduce suicide risk for women.
How similar studies have gone: Prior research showed nurse- and peer-led interventions can reduce risk factors and that the PREVAIL model worked in similar settings; this is a novel adaptation for Tajikistan.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Illinois at Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Weine, Stevan Merrill — University of Illinois at Chicago
- Study coordinator: Weine, Stevan Merrill
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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.