Scaling savings, financial skills, and income support for young people affected by HIV
Bridges2Scale: Testing implementation strategies for an intervention among young people affected by AIDS
This project offers adolescents and young people affected by HIV practical money skills, mentorship, income-generating support, and matched savings to help reduce HIV risk and improve treatment adherence.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Washington University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Saint Louis, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11400579 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
If you join, you would learn financial literacy, get mentorship, help starting small family income activities, and be offered a youth savings account with matching funds. The team will compare different ways of delivering this package across communities in sub-Saharan Africa to see which methods reach and help the most young people. The project enrolls adolescents and youth affected by HIV, including those living with HIV and those orphaned by AIDS, and tracks outcomes like ART adherence, risk behaviors, mental health, schooling, and family finances. This work builds on earlier trials that showed benefits and focuses now on how to expand the program at larger scale.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are adolescents and young people in selected communities in sub-Saharan Africa who are living with HIV or have been orphaned/affected by AIDS and who face household economic hardship.
Not a fit: People who are older adults, not affected by HIV, living outside the program communities, or already financially secure are unlikely to benefit directly from joining this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could help young people stick to HIV treatment, lower risky behaviors, and strengthen family finances and mental well-being.
How similar studies have performed: Yes — multiple earlier randomized trials of the Bridges intervention in Uganda and Kenya have shown robust improvements in HIV-related behaviors, ART adherence, mental health, education, and family economics.
Where this research is happening
Saint Louis, United States
- Washington University — Saint Louis, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Ssewamala, Fred M — Washington University
- Study coordinator: Ssewamala, Fred M
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.