Peer mentor support to reduce drinking and HIV risk during pregnancy in South Africa
Official title: A community-based adaptation of a peer-led intervention to address alcohol use and HIV risk in pregnant women in South Africa (Mentor Moms+)
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11192895 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers a peer-mentor program to help pregnant and breastfeeding people who drink alcohol reduce drinking and stay connected to HIV prevention or treatment services in South Africa.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $80,147 |
| NIH project number | 5R34AA030942-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11192895 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant or breastfeeding people in the target South African communities who currently use alcohol and are living with HIV or at risk of HIV are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who do not live in the study communities, who do not use alcohol, or whose care needs are unrelated to HIV or alcohol use are unlikely to benefit directly.
What this research studies
You would be connected with a trained "mentor mother" from the community who provides practical support and counseling to help reduce alcohol use and link you to HIV prevention or treatment services. Researchers will talk with pregnant and breastfeeding people, clinic staff, and community members to learn what barriers and supports matter most and adapt the mentor-mother model accordingly. The adapted program, called Mentor Moms+, will be delivered in clinics and community settings and the team will track whether it is acceptable, feasible, and practical to run. The focus is serostatus-neutral, meaning it supports both people living with HIV (to stay on ART) and people without HIV (to access PrEP) while addressing alcohol use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the program could help pregnant and breastfeeding people cut down on alcohol use and improve HIV prevention and treatment, lowering health risks for both mothers and babies.
How similar studies have gone: Mentor-mother peer programs have previously improved HIV care and antenatal outcomes, but adapting them specifically to reduce alcohol use during pregnancy is a newer approach that requires testing.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Joseph Davey, Dvora Leah — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Joseph Davey, Dvora Leah
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.
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Mentor Moms+: community-led support to reduce alcohol use and HIV risk for pregnant people in South Africa
A community-based program uses trained mentor mothers to help pregnant and breastfeeding people who use alcohol reduce risk for HIV and improve care in South Africa.
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Mentor Moms+ peer support to reduce alcohol use and HIV risk in pregnant and breastfeeding people in South Africa
This project will adapt a peer mentor program to help pregnant and breastfeeding people in South Africa cut down on alcohol use and get timely HIV prevention and treatment support.
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Helping pregnant women in South Africa reduce alcohol use and HIV risk
This study is all about helping pregnant and new moms in South Africa who are dealing with alcohol use and the risk of HIV; it uses support from other experienced moms to encourage healthier choices and connect them with important health services.
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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.
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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.
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.