Partnering with Community Helpers to Improve Prenatal Sleep
Official title: Partnering with Perinatal Community Workers To Improve Prenatal Sleep
Funded at New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC · NIH-11356066 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A project that tests if trained doulas can help pregnant people sleep better using practical, community-based strategies.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | July 22, 2026 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $261,716 |
| NIH project number | 1R34HL186416-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11356066 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals experiencing sleep problems, especially in communities with limited access to usual perinatal care.
✕Less likely to help
People without sleep disturbances or those not engaged with doula support may experience minimal direct benefit.
What this research studies
This project will explore a delivery model where community-based doulas work with pregnant individuals to improve sleep quality. It will use user-friendly sleep strategies adapted for pregnancy and measure changes in sleep and related health outcomes. The study emphasizes real-world settings, engagement with communities that face barriers to care, and scalable approaches to increase access to effective sleep care during pregnancy.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, it could make evidence-based sleep care more accessible for pregnant people, potentially improving maternal and infant health.
How similar studies have gone: CBT-I delivered through community-based models has shown promise, with scalability challenges still under investigation.
Where this research is happening
-
New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Lugo-Candelas, Claudia I — New York State Psychiatric Institute Dba Research Foundation for Mental Hygiene, INC
- Study coordinator: Lugo-Candelas, Claudia I
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.