Understanding HIV prevention needs among young women in Kenya using social media analysis
Official title: Use of sentiment analysis in SMS and social media to understand HIV prevention needs among young women in Kenya
Funded at Massachusetts General Hospital · NIH-10761910 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how the feelings expressed in text messages and social media posts can help understand the HIV prevention needs of young women in Kenya, so healthcare providers can create better support and resources for them.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Massachusetts General Hospital NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Boston, United States) |
| Project start | July 21, 2023 |
| Project end | July 20, 2025 |
| Funding year | 2023 |
| Award (this year) | $395,138 |
| NIH project number | 1R21MH132436-01A1 |
| Project ID | NIH-10761910 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are young women in Kenya who are at risk for HIV and actively use SMS or social media.
✕Less likely to help
Patients who do not use SMS or social media, or who are not at risk for HIV, may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how sentiment analysis of SMS and social media messages can reveal the HIV prevention needs of young women in Kenya. By employing natural language processing and text analysis, the study aims to identify and quantify the emotional states and subjective information expressed in these communications. The goal is to develop a tool that can quickly assess HIV risk and prevention needs, making it easier for healthcare providers to tailor interventions. Participants from previous trials have found this approach acceptable, indicating a promising avenue for improving HIV prevention strategies.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to more effective and personalized HIV prevention strategies for young women in Kenya.
How similar studies have gone: While sentiment analysis has been successfully applied in various fields, its application to HIV risk assessment in Africa is novel and untested.
Where this research is happening
-
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Haberer, Jessica Elizabeth — Massachusetts General Hospital
- Study coordinator: Haberer, Jessica Elizabeth
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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.