Tablet-based peer support to help female university students in Zambia use PrEP and contraception
Official title: A Mobile Health Intervention to Increase Uptake of PrEP and Contraception Among Female University Students in Zambia
Funded at University of Colorado Denver · NIH-11178682 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A tablet-led peer navigator program to help female university students in Zambia learn about and start using PrEP and modern contraception.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Colorado Denver NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Aurora, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | August 1, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $167,456 |
| NIH project number | 5R33MH131281-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11178682 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Female university students in Zambia who are sexually active or at risk for HIV infection or unintended pregnancy are the intended participants.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not female university students in Zambia, those who prefer only in-person services, or those already stably using PrEP and modern contraception may not gain direct benefit from this program.
What this research studies
I would use a tablet app run by trained peer navigators that asks about my risk for HIV and unintended pregnancy, gives clear education, and helps me find sexual and reproductive health services. The program lets me choose how much peer support I want, tracks clinic visits and use of PrEP or contraception, and sends regular messages to help me stay on prevention. Researchers will refine the app and approach using interviews, surveys, and small pilot tests before expanding the program. The project focuses specifically on high-risk female students at universities in Zambia.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could make it easier for young women to start and stay on PrEP and contraception, reducing HIV infections and unintended pregnancies.
How similar studies have gone: Similar mobile health and peer-support programs have increased uptake of HIV prevention and family planning services in parts of sub-Saharan Africa, but combining both for Zambian female university students is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Colorado Denver
Aurora, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hampanda, Karen Marie — University of Colorado Denver
- Study coordinator: Hampanda, Karen Marie
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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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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Using mobile health tools to improve contraception and HIV prevention among female university students in Zambia
This study is testing a helpful mobile program for female university students in Zambia to provide them with information and support about HIV prevention and birth control, making it easier for them to access the health services they need.
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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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A woman-controlled, nonhormonal on-demand contraceptive device
This project is creating a woman-controlled vaginal device that releases a fabric-like polymer which thickens on contact with semen to help prevent pregnancy.
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STI testing added to PrEP programs to protect women from HIV
Offering STI testing alongside routine risk screening to see if more women aged 15–39 start and keep using PrEP to prevent 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.