Understanding how young people in rural Uganda perceive alcohol use and its link to HIV prevention
Official title: Perceived Norms About Alcohol Use and HIV/STI Prevention among Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Uganda
Funded at Vanderbilt University · NIH-11007623 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This study is looking at how young people in rural Uganda might misunderstand what their friends really think about drinking alcohol and staying safe from HIV and STIs, and it aims to help them get the right information so they can make healthier choices.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Vanderbilt University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Nashville, UNITED STATES) |
| Project start | September 20, 2024 |
| Project end | August 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2024 |
| Award (this year) | $640,010 |
| NIH project number | 1R01AA031936-01 |
| Project ID | NIH-11007623 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal candidates for this research are adolescents and young adults aged 15 to 24 living in rural Uganda.
✕Less likely to help
Patients outside the age range of 15 to 24 or those not residing in rural Uganda may not benefit from this research.
What this research studies
This research investigates how adolescents and young adults in rural Uganda misperceive peer norms regarding alcohol consumption and HIV/STI prevention. By identifying these misperceptions, the study aims to understand their impact on risky behaviors related to HIV transmission. The approach includes providing accurate information about peer norms to challenge and change these misperceptions, potentially leading to healthier behaviors. The research will involve surveys and interventions tailored to the local context to effectively communicate these norms.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this research could lead to reduced rates of HIV infections among adolescents and young adults in rural Uganda by promoting healthier behaviors.
How similar studies have gone: Previous studies in high-income countries have shown that addressing misperceptions of peer norms can effectively reduce risky health behaviors, suggesting potential success for this approach in Uganda.
Where this research is happening
-
Vanderbilt University
Nashville, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Perkins, Jessica M — Vanderbilt University
- Study coordinator: Perkins, Jessica M
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
-
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.
-
Understanding how heavy drinking and anxiety relate in emerging adults
This grant studies how heavy alcohol use and anxiety symptoms interact in young adults (ages 18–34) and what biological stress markers might reveal about that relationship.
-
Understanding how veterans access care for alcohol use and behavioral health
A study following 2,000 post-9/11 veterans to see how alcohol use, PTSD, and depression relate to access to behavioral health care over four years.
-
Understanding how peer norms around alcohol and HIV prevention affect adolescents and young adults in rural Uganda
This project studies how what young people think their peers do or approve of influences drinking and HIV prevention behaviors in rural Uganda, with the goal of improving health outcomes.
-
Mentor Moms+: a community-led plan to cut alcohol use and HIV risk during pregnancy in South Africa
A community-based program adapts a trusted peer-led model to help pregnant and lactating people reduce alcohol use and HIV risk in South Africa.
-
Functional Connectivity-Guided TMS for Alcohol Use Disorder
A new approach uses targeted brain stimulation to help people with alcohol use disorder stay abstinent longer by focusing treatment on specific brain circuits.
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.