Online group program to help women with recent incarceration reduce drug use and use contraception
Adaptation of a Digital Group-Based Intervention to Reduce Drug Use and Increase Contraceptive Use among Reproductive-Aged Women with Recent Histories of Incarceration or Community Supervision
An online group program using video calls and interactive activities to help reproductive-aged women with recent histories of incarceration cut down on drug use and start or increase use of birth control.
Quick facts
| Grant type | Career grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Fairleigh Dickinson University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Teaneck, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11326197 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would join a facilitated group that meets by videoconference and uses digital interactive activities designed for women with substance use and recent criminal justice involvement. The program focuses on safer drug behaviors and on helping you access and use contraception if you do not want to become pregnant. Participants will take part in pilot group sessions and share feedback, and researchers will collect information on self-reported drug use and contraceptive use over time. The project is led by a researcher at Fairleigh Dickinson University as part of a training program to adapt this digital approach for this community.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Reproductive-aged women with recent histories of incarceration or community supervision who use drugs, are sexually active, and are not currently using contraception but do not want to become pregnant.
Not a fit: Women who already use effective contraception, who are not sexually active, or who lack reliable internet/video access or the ability to join scheduled group sessions may not benefit from this digital program.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could help reduce drug use and lower unintended pregnancy by increasing contraception use and access among women with recent justice involvement.
How similar studies have performed: Digital and group-based interventions have shown promise for reducing substance use and increasing contraceptive use, though this specific adaptation for women with recent incarceration is a newer application.
Where this research is happening
Teaneck, United States
- Fairleigh Dickinson University — Teaneck, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Slavin, Melissa N. — Fairleigh Dickinson University
- Study coordinator: Slavin, Melissa N.
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.