Peer-led 'Game Changers' program to boost cervical cancer screening in Uganda
Official title: A Hybrid Implementation-Effectiveness Trial of Game Changers for Cervical Cancer Prevention in Uganda
Funded at Rand Corporation · NIH-11404688 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a peer-led seven-session program that helps women in Uganda encourage friends and family to get low-cost cervical cancer screening with VIA.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Rand Corporation NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Santa Monica, United States) |
| Project start | August 8, 2023 |
| Project end | July 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $16,075 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA282284-03S3 |
| Project ID | NIH-11404688 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are women in participating Ugandan communities who have recently had a cervical cancer screen and are willing to join peer groups, as well as unscreened women in their social networks who can be encouraged to attend VIA screening.
✕Less likely to help
Women living outside the study areas, those already up-to-date with cervical screening, or those unable to take part in group sessions are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you join, you would be part of a group led by women who have already been screened and trained to share accurate information, reduce stigma, and gently encourage screening within their social networks. The program uses seven peer-led group sessions that teach communication and dispel myths about cervical cancer and screening. The team will run a randomized trial in Ugandan communities to see whether women reached through these networks actually go for VIA screening and to learn how the program can be sustained. Researchers will also follow participants over time to track screening uptake and practical challenges to rolling the program out more widely.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could raise screening rates, help detect precancer earlier, and reduce deaths from cervical cancer in Ugandan communities.
How similar studies have gone: A prior pilot randomized trial (R21) showed large increases in screening among network members, so this larger trial builds on promising early results.
Where this research is happening
-
Rand Corporation
Santa Monica, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wagner, Glenn John — Rand Corporation
- Study coordinator: Wagner, Glenn John
Related research
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Hybrid approach to boost cervical cancer screening in Uganda
A tested, community-driven program helps Ugandan women encourage their peers to get free VIA cervical cancer screening.
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.