STI testing added to PrEP programs to protect women from HIV
Official title: Integrated Female Sexually Transmitted Infection Testing for HIV Epidemic Control through PrEP: The IN-STEP study
Funded at Johns Hopkins University · NIH-11472894 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Offering STI testing alongside routine risk screening to see if more women aged 15–39 start and keep using PrEP to prevent HIV.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project start | March 13, 2024 |
| Project end | January 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $366,529 |
| NIH project number | 3R01AI177132-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11472894 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Women aged 15–39 who are HIV-negative and at risk for HIV (for example, with recent STI, high-risk partner, or interest in PrEP) would be ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have HIV, those outside the 15–39 age range, or those at very low risk for HIV are unlikely to benefit from this specific program.
What this research studies
You would be randomly assigned to get routine sexual risk screening alone or screening plus testing for chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomonas, and syphilis. The study uses newer, lower-cost and point-of-care STI tests so results and follow-up can happen quickly. Researchers will track whether STI testing helps more women begin PrEP and stay on it over time. Visits would take place at participating clinics with regular follow-up to monitor PrEP use and sexual health.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could help more women at risk start and keep using PrEP and reduce new HIV infections.
How similar studies have gone: Past research shows curable STIs predict future HIV risk and that PrEP prevents HIV, but trials specifically testing integrated STI diagnostics to boost PrEP use among women are limited.
Where this research is happening
-
Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Grabowski, Mary Kathryn — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Grabowski, Mary Kathryn
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Mobile health support to boost PrEP and contraception use among young women in Zambia
A mobile health program helps female university students in Zambia learn about and access HIV prevention and contraception.
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How PrEP Drugs Affect HIV Risk in Women and Reproductive Health
This project looks at how PrEP medicines work for women, and whether they influence pregnancy-related processes in the uterus.
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Mobile health tool to boost PrEP and contraception use among female university students in Zambia
A mobile, peer-supported program helps young women in Zambia start and stick with PrEP and modern contraception to prevent HIV and unintended pregnancy.
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Adding STI testing to PrEP services for women
This project adds testing for common sexually transmitted infections to PrEP services to help women ages 15–39 start and keep using HIV prevention medication.
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Tablet-based peer support to help female university students in Zambia use PrEP and contraception
A tablet-led peer navigator program to help female university students in Zambia learn about and start using PrEP and modern contraception.
-
Improving HIV prevention for African women through integrated testing.
This study is looking to help African women stay healthy by adding tests for treatable sexually transmitted infections to current HIV prevention programs, so they can get the right support and medication to lower their chances of getting HIV.
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.