NIH-funded research R01 grant

Relationship-focused program to reduce partner violence and boost PrEP use for young women in Kenya

Official title: A relationship-focused intervention to reduce intimate partner violence and increase PrEP uptake and adherence among adolescent girls and young women in Kenya

Funded at Research Triangle Institute · NIH-11145089 · Data updated 2026-11-12

This program offers relationship support, partner outreach, and PrEP education to help adolescent girls and young women in Kenya start and keep taking daily HIV prevention (PrEP).

More Violence research and trials

Quick facts

Grant typeR01 grant
Study typeNIH-funded research
Funding institutionResearch Triangle Institute
NIH-funded
Lab location1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States)
Project startAugust 19, 2021
Project endJuly 31, 2027
Funding year2025
Award (this year)$909,729
NIH project number5R01MH125671-05
Project IDNIH-11145089 on NIH RePORTER

Who could benefit from this research

Could help

Ideal candidates are adolescent girls and young women in Siaya County, Kenya, who are at risk for HIV and may experience unhealthy or violent intimate relationships.

Less likely to help

Young men, people outside the target age range or geographic area, and those who already have stable PrEP use and no relationship concerns are unlikely to benefit from this program.

What this research studies

If you join, you would take part in an eight-session support club over six months that helps with relationship safety and PrEP use. The program also runs community sensitization aimed at male partners and holds PrEP education events for couples so your partner and community better understand prevention. The activities were designed with local young women and are meant to be added into existing youth services in Siaya County. The intervention is being tested across communities to see whether combining these components helps more young women begin and stick with PrEP.

Why it matters

Potential benefit: If successful, this could lower HIV risk by increasing PrEP uptake and adherence and by reducing intimate partner violence among participating young women.

How similar studies have gone: A prior pilot and other community-based efforts suggest relationship support and partner engagement can help PrEP use, but larger randomized trials in this exact population remain limited.

Where this research is happening

  • Research Triangle Institute
    Research Triangle Park, United States
    Active

Researchers

  • Principal investigator: Roberts, Sarah Tyler — Research Triangle Institute
  • Study coordinator: Roberts, Sarah Tyler

Related research

Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.

About this research

  1. This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
  2. Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
  3. For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.
Last reviewed 2026-11-14 by the Find a Trial editorial team. Information on this page is for educational purposes and is not medical advice. Always consult qualified healthcare professionals about clinical trial participation.