Support for South African women to self-test for HIV and syphilis and connect to treatment or PrEP
Official title: Formative work to develop an intervention to support dual HIV/syphilis self-testing and linkage to PrEP and/or HIV/syphilis treatment for women in South Africa: The THANDO Study
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11322510 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project will create ways to help women in South Africa use combined HIV and syphilis self-tests and get linked to HIV treatment, syphilis care, or PrEP.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | July 15, 2024 |
| Project end | May 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $96,405 |
| NIH project number | 5R21MH135779-02 |
| Project ID | NIH-11322510 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adult women in South Africa who are sexually active, especially those who do not test regularly or who are unsure of their HIV or syphilis status, are the ideal participants.
✕Less likely to help
People already continuously engaged in HIV care with stable treatment, men, or individuals living outside the study communities in South Africa are unlikely to benefit directly from participating.
What this research studies
You would be invited to share your experiences and preferences about self-testing through interviews and group discussions with the research team. The team will work with local clinics and stakeholders to design instructions, support tools, and referral pathways that fit community needs. They will pilot those materials and procedures with small groups of women to see what helps people complete testing and get care. Feedback from participants will shape a ready-to-use intervention for wider use.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could increase routine HIV and syphilis testing among women and improve timely linkage to PrEP or treatment, reducing untreated infections and transmission risk.
How similar studies have gone: HIV self-testing programs have previously increased testing uptake and linkage to care, but combined HIV/syphilis self-testing with tailored linkage supports for women in South Africa is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rael, Christine Tagliaferri — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Rael, Christine Tagliaferri
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Helping women in South Africa self-test for HIV and syphilis and connect to PrEP or treatment
This project will design ways to help women in South Africa use combined HIV and syphilis self-tests and get linked to treatment or PrEP.
-
mChoice: Boosting PrEP Use and Adherence for Black and Latino MSM with Tailored Training and Support
A national study to help Black and Latino men who have sex with men start and stick with PrEP through culturally matched provider training and patient support.
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Harnessing male peer networks to boost HIV testing and PrEP use
A large clinical trial in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through male peer networks, with phone support, increases PrEP uptake among men.
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Harnessing men's peer networks to boost HIV self-testing and PrEP use
A large project in South Africa tests whether giving HIV self-test kits through men’s social networks, with phone support, can lead to more men starting PrEP and using HIV testing.
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Participatory system dynamics to improve PrEP access in the Bronx
A community-driven project in the Bronx will use system dynamics to identify practical ways to help people at risk for HIV start and stay on PrEP.
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TB PrEP: Bringing HIV prevention to households affected by TB in Uganda
Aims to help people in households with TB in Uganda access HIV PrEP as part of a combined prevention approach.
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.