Psychological support program for adolescents and young people living with HIV in Kenya
Official title: INTEGRATING A TRANSDIAGNOSTIC PSYCHOLOGICAL INTERVENTION IN THE CARE FOR ADOLESCENTS AND YOUTH WITH HIV IN KENYA
Funded at University of Nairobi · NIH-11137781 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers short, flexible mental-health sessions led by trained lay counselors to help adolescents and young adults living with HIV in Kenya reduce depression, anxiety, and trauma and stay on their HIV treatment.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Nairobi NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nairobi, Kenya) |
| Project start | August 1, 2023 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $511,273 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH133261-03 |
| Project ID | NIH-11137781 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are adolescents and young adults living with HIV in Kenya (approximately ages 12–24) who are engaged in HIV care and have mild to moderate symptoms of depression or anxiety.
✕Less likely to help
People with severe psychiatric illness (for example, active psychosis or immediate safety risks), those not in care at participating clinics, or individuals outside Kenya are unlikely to benefit from this program as designed.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll be offered PRO-ACT, a brief modular counseling program based on cognitive behavioral techniques that targets depression, anxiety, and trauma common in young people with HIV. Trained lay health workers will deliver the modules either in person or by phone, and modules can be taken separately so they fit around school and clinic visits. The team will adapt the number and timing of sessions and the delivery format to fit HIV care clinics and will track mental health symptoms and antiretroviral treatment adherence over time. This work builds on a successful pilot in Kenya and aims to test whether the program can be used more widely in HIV care for adolescents and youth.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce mental-health symptoms, improve adherence to HIV treatment, and increase the likelihood of viral suppression for adolescents and young adults living with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials of lay-delivered transdiagnostic CBT approaches—including a PRO-ACT pilot in Kenya—have shown clinically meaningful reductions in depression and anxiety, though evidence specifically among adolescents and youth with HIV remains limited.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Nairobi
Nairobi, Kenya Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Wamalwa, Dalton Chekoko — University of Nairobi
- Study coordinator: Wamalwa, Dalton Chekoko
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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.