Take Charge: Boosting PrEP awareness and support in the Deep South
Official title: 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
Funded at Public Health Foundation Enterprises · NIH-11366167 · Data updated 2026-11-12
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 start | September 17, 2021 |
| Project end | July 31, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $559,464 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH128049-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11366167 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
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.
✕Less likely to help
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.
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.
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 gone: 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
-
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
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
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.
-
CARES: A practical program to help adolescent girls and young women use PrEP in Africa
A program called CARES helps young women in South Africa and Zimbabwe use different PrEP options better, with counseling, reminders, and options for support.
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.