Virtual peer-support app to help young Black women reduce alcohol-related sexual risk and increase PrEP use in North Carolina
Official title: GODDESS (Gathering Online for Dialogue and Discussion to Enhance Social Support): Engaging young African American women in a virtual group app to address alcohol misuse, sexual risk, and PrEP in NC
Funded at Research Triangle Institute · NIH-11115880 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This project uses a mobile app with virtual group sessions to help young Black women in North Carolina cut back on alcohol-related risky sex and increase use of HIV prevention (PrEP).
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Research Triangle Institute NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Research Triangle Park, United States) |
| Project start | September 1, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2025 |
| Award (this year) | $611,573 |
| NIH project number | 5R01AA030452-04 |
| Project ID | NIH-11115880 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Ideal participants are young African American/Black women in North Carolina who drink alcohol and are at risk for HIV through sexual exposure and are willing to use a smartphone app and join virtual groups.
✕Less likely to help
People who are not in the target demographic (e.g., not young Black women, not in North Carolina), those already consistently using PrEP with no alcohol-related sexual risk, or those without smartphone/internet access are unlikely to benefit from this program.
What this research studies
If you join, you'll use a mobile health app and take part in virtual group sessions where peers and trained facilitators talk about alcohol use, sexual safety, and PrEP. The program adapts a proven in-person intervention that has already shown benefits when delivered by phone or app. The study adds a group component because past participants requested more peer support and connection. The team works with local health departments to make the program practical and scalable across North Carolina.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this approach could reduce heavy drinking and impaired sex and lead to more young women starting and staying on PrEP, lowering HIV risk.
How similar studies have gone: Earlier versions delivered by mobile health matched face-to-face results and lowered heavy drinking and impaired sex, while adding a virtual peer-group element is a newer step being tested.
Where this research is happening
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Research Triangle Institute
Research Triangle Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Browne, Felicia Amira — Research Triangle Institute
- Study coordinator: Browne, Felicia Amira
Related research
Other NIH-funded projects on the same topics.
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GODDESS: Online support for young Black women to reduce alcohol use and boost PrEP in NC
A virtual group program helps young African American women at risk for HIV reduce alcohol use, address sexual risk, and increase PrEP use in North Carolina.
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Alcohol, Gut Health, and PrEP: How a brief intervention might help HIV prevention care
A program to help people using PrEP reduce risky drinking and improve gut health so they can stay on PrEP.
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Helping people on PrEP reduce alcohol harms and protect gut health
This project offers a brief alcohol help program (SBIRT) to people taking PrEP to reduce heavy drinking, protect gut bacteria, and help them keep using their HIV prevention medication.
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How alcohol use affects HIV prevention medication adherence and gut health.
This study is looking at how drinking alcohol might affect how well PrEP works for preventing HIV and how it can cause side effects that make it harder for people to stick to their medication, and it’s for individuals at risk for HIV who want to understand the best ways to manage their alcohol use while taking PrEP.
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Using a virtual group app to support young African American women in reducing alcohol misuse and improving HIV prevention.
This study is inviting young African American women in North Carolina to join a friendly online group where they can talk about drinking habits and staying safe from HIV, while also getting support and tips from peers to help them make healthier choices.
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mChoice: Boosting PrEP Use and Adherence for Black and Latino MSM with Tailored Training and Support
A national study to help Black and Latino men who have sex with men start and stick with PrEP through culturally matched provider training and patient support.
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.