Take Charge: Boosting PrEP awareness and support in the Deep South
T’Cher, Take Charge: A Increasing PrEP Awareness, Uptake, and Adherence Through Health Care Empowerment and Addressing Social Drivers of Health in the Deep South
This project helps people in the Deep South learn about, start, and stay on PrEP using social media, peer navigators, and mobile support tools.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Public Health Foundation Enterprises NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (City of Industry, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11366167 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective, the program will use a social media campaign to spread easy-to-understand information about PrEP and connect you with a trained peer navigator who can build trust and guide you through getting PrEP. The peer navigation model is adapted for digital delivery and enhanced with mobile health tools, including motivational interviewing and short daily check-ins (ecological momentary assessments) to address everyday barriers. The team plans to recruit about 200 participants from high-risk communities in southeastern Louisiana and follow them to see if these supports help with starting and sticking to PrEP. Participation will be largely remote/digital with peer support and periodic contacts from the study team.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people in the Deep South who are HIV-negative but at elevated risk for HIV and interested in learning about or starting PrEP.
Not a fit: People who are already living with HIV or who live outside the targeted Deep South area are unlikely to benefit from joining this PrEP-focused effort.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this work could increase PrEP awareness, uptake, and adherence among people at high risk of HIV in the Deep South, lowering new infections.
How similar studies have performed: Previous peer-navigation and mHealth programs have shown promise for improving PrEP awareness and uptake in similar communities, although results vary by setting.
Where this research is happening
City of Industry, United States
- Public Health Foundation Enterprises — City of Industry, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Meek, Erin Catherine — Public Health Foundation Enterprises
- Study coordinator: Meek, Erin Catherine
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.