Urban gardening and peer nutrition support for people with HIV facing food insecurity in the Dominican Republic
Official title: Promesa: Urban gardening and peer nutritional counseling to improve HIV care outcomes among people with food insecurity in the Dominican Republic
Funded at University of Massachusetts Amherst · NIH-11307094 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project offers community gardens and peer nutrition counseling to people living with HIV who lack reliable food in the Dominican Republic to help them stay on treatment and reach undetectable viral loads.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Massachusetts Amherst NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Hadley, United States) |
| Project start | May 3, 2023 |
| Project end | February 29, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $487,813 |
| NIH project number | 5R01MH131447-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11307094 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV who are receiving care at participating clinics in the Dominican Republic and who are experiencing moderate to severe food insecurity are the ideal candidates.
✕Less likely to help
People who already have stable, reliable access to food or who cannot participate in gardening or peer counseling activities may not see benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll get help starting or using an urban garden and meet with trained peers who provide practical nutrition counseling and support. Clinics are randomly assigned to offer the full ProMeSA program or continue usual care, and participants are followed for 18 months. The team will collect blood tests for viral load, track ART adherence and clinic visits, and measure changes in food security and body measurements. Researchers will also talk with participants and staff to learn what helps or gets in the way of using the gardens and counseling so the program can be kept going.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this program could improve food security, increase treatment adherence, and raise the chances of viral suppression for people with HIV.
How similar studies have gone: A prior pilot of ProMeSA showed the approach was feasible, acceptable, and had early signs of improving food security and viral suppression, but this full randomized trial will test effectiveness over a longer period.
Where this research is happening
-
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Hadley, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Derose, Kathryn Pitkin — University of Massachusetts Amherst
- Study coordinator: Derose, Kathryn Pitkin
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Promesa: Urban gardens and peer nutrition to help people with HIV in the Dominican Republic
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Promesa: Urban gardens and peer nutrition support for people with HIV in the Dominican Republic
This project offers urban gardening and peer-led nutrition support to people living with HIV who face food insecurity in the Dominican Republic to help keep their viral load undetectable and stay on treatment.
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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.