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).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $909,729 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH125671-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-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.
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WINGS+PrEP: a mobile program to help women in the criminal-legal system start and stay on HIV prevention
A mobile-based program called WINGS+PrEP helps women in community supervision programs start and adhere to PrEP while addressing alcohol use and safety from violent partners.
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Connecting adolescent girls and young women who face partner violence to PrEP prevention options
This project will develop ways to help girls and young women (ages 15–24) who experience intimate partner violence in sub‑Saharan Africa access PrEP options like daily pills, the dapivirine ring, or injectable cabotegravir.
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Linking young women affected by partner violence to HIV prevention options
This project will develop ways to connect adolescent girls and young women who face intimate partner violence in sub‑Saharan Africa with PrEP choices like daily pills, a vaginal ring, or long‑acting injections.
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Improving access to HIV prevention for transgender and gender diverse individuals affected by violence.
This study is working to help transgender and gender-diverse people in Los Angeles County who are at high risk for HIV get and stay on PrEP, a medication that can prevent HIV, by addressing challenges like housing, money, and mental health, all while partnering with local organizations to make sure the support fits the
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Helping young women in South Africa access HIV prevention options after experiencing partner violence.
This study is all about helping young girls and women in South Africa who have faced partner violence by finding better ways for them to access HIV prevention methods, like PrEP, so they can take charge of their health and feel empowered.
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.