Using social networks to prevent HIV among people who inject drugs in rural communities
Adapting a Network-Oriented HIV Prevention Intervention for Rural People Who Inject Drugs (PWID)
This project adapts a network-based approach to help people who inject drugs in rural areas lower their HIV risk by improving access to clean syringes, prevention medicines, and support services.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Johns Hopkins University NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Baltimore, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11316999 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
From your perspective as someone who injects drugs in a rural area, researchers will look at how your connections with others influence sharing behaviors and access to services like syringe programs, medications for opioid use disorder (MOUD), and HIV prevention pills (PrEP). They will study how law enforcement practices and availability of harm-reduction services affect risk within social networks. The team will adapt a proven network-oriented intervention used in cities to fit rural community settings and norms. Participants in the target communities may be asked about their injection practices, network contacts, service use, and may be offered linkages to local prevention resources.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal candidates are people who inject drugs and live in the rural communities chosen for the project, especially in areas affected by recent HIV outbreaks or with limited harm-reduction services.
Not a fit: People who do not inject drugs, who live outside the selected rural study areas, or who do not engage with local social networks or services are unlikely to benefit directly from this project.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the approach could lower HIV transmission in rural PWID communities by shifting norms and improving access to prevention and treatment services.
How similar studies have performed: Network-oriented prevention programs have changed risk behaviors in urban populations, but adapting and testing these approaches specifically for rural people who inject drugs is relatively new.
Where this research is happening
Baltimore, United States
- Johns Hopkins University — Baltimore, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Allen, Sean T — Johns Hopkins University
- Study coordinator: Allen, Sean T
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 below.