Tell me the truth about respiratory virus prevention in Chicago communities
Official title: Dime la Verdad (Tell me the truth)
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11466802 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A community-focused project in Chicago aims to share reliable, culturally relevant health messages about respiratory virus prevention through trusted local channels.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project start | July 10, 2023 |
| Project end | June 30, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $1,820,293 |
| NIH project number | 4R01MD018730-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11466802 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates are residents of Chicago areas served by community health workers, especially in communities with limited access to language-concordant health information.
✕Less likely to help
People outside the target Chicago communities or those not engaging with local health outreach may see limited personal benefit.
What this research studies
This project will study how information about respiratory virus prevention spreads in neighborhoods and among different language groups. It will test best-practice messaging delivered via community health workers and peers to see which approaches improve understanding and adoption of proven prevention methods. Researchers will examine how narratives, social media, and local trusted messengers influence people’s decisions about vaccination and other protective actions. The work emphasizes real-world communication in diverse communities to identify strategies that work where access to care is uneven. The study runs across several years at the University of Chicago with collaboration from community partners.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, communities could see clearer, more trustworthy health messages that lead to higher vaccination rates and better adoption of preventive practices.
How similar studies have gone: Prior work shows that trusted local messengers and peer narratives can improve health message uptake, supporting potential effectiveness of this approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Del Rios, Marina — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Del Rios, Marina
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.