RADAR: tracking HIV risk and substance use in young men
The RADAR cohort study of multilevel Influences on HIV and substance use
This project follows young men in Chicago to learn which factors increase HIV risk and drug use and how to prevent them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | U01 cooperative agreement |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Northwestern University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11393770 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join RADAR, we will collect health surveys, drug-use histories, and HIV test results at regular visits and may collect biological samples. We follow participants over time, adding 600 new young men to more than 1,350 already enrolled, and keep in touch to track health, behavior, and service use. The team links individual, social, and neighborhood information to understand how personal and structural factors affect HIV and substance use. RADAR is based in Chicago, has strong retention, many publications, and serves as a platform for related studies you might be invited to join.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are young men in the Chicago/Cook County area—especially late teens to mid-twenties—who are at risk for HIV or who use substances.
Not a fit: People who are older adults, women, live far from Chicago, or are at very low risk for HIV or substance use are unlikely to get direct benefits from joining.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could lead to better ways to prevent HIV and reduce harmful drug use among young men.
How similar studies have performed: Cohort-based work has produced important findings in HIV prevention, and RADAR itself has over 113 publications and high participant retention, showing strong prior success.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- Northwestern University — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Mustanski, Brian — Northwestern University
- Study coordinator: Mustanski, Brian
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.