Treating smoking and unhealthy drinking for people with HIV in Nairobi
Official title: Optimizing Treatment of Co-occurring Smoking and Unhealthy Alcohol use among PWH in Nairobi, Kenya
Funded at University of Chicago · NIH-11392838 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project tests a combination of counseling and medication to help people with HIV in Nairobi who both smoke and drink cut down or quit.
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 | September 18, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $296,438 |
| NIH project number | 3R01CA288235-02S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11392838 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV in Nairobi who currently smoke and have unhealthy alcohol use are the ideal candidates for this project.
✕Less likely to help
People without HIV, people who do not both smoke and drink, those living outside the Nairobi area, or those with medical reasons that prevent taking bupropion may not receive direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
If you live with HIV in Nairobi and both smoke and drink, this project offers counseling adapted to address both tobacco and alcohol use. Some participants may also receive bupropion as part of their care, and the research team will compare different combinations of counseling and medication. You would be randomly assigned to one of those combinations and followed over time to see whether smoking and drinking go down. The team has run related tobacco-treatment work in Nairobi before and is now adding alcohol-focused content.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could provide counseling and medication options that help reduce smoking and unhealthy drinking and lower related health risks for people with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: Previous trials of the Positively Smoke Free counseling and of bupropion have helped people quit smoking, while combining that counseling with alcohol-focused content is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Chicago
Chicago, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Himelhoch, Seth S — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Himelhoch, Seth S
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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Improving treatment for people with HIV who smoke and drink in Nairobi, Kenya
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Helping people with HIV in Nairobi who both smoke and drink cut back or quit
This project tries counseling plus or minus the medication bupropion to help people with HIV in Nairobi who smoke and misuse alcohol cut back or stop.
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Improving treatment for people with HIV who smoke and drink alcohol in Kenya
This study is looking for ways to help people living with HIV in Nairobi, Kenya, cut down or quit smoking and drinking alcohol by combining counseling and medication, so they can live healthier lives and lower their risk of serious diseases.
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Biomarkers to detect recent heavy drinking in veterans
A doctor-scientist team is testing blood biomarkers to better identify recent excessive alcohol use in veterans so clinicians can screen, counsel, and care for those at risk.
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.