Youth-friendly HIV self-testing and contraception through local drug shops
AmbassADDOrs for Health: Maintaining youth-friendly HIV prevention services to young women through drug vendors
This program helps adolescent girls and young women (ages 15–24) in sub‑Saharan Africa get HIV self‑tests and contraception from welcoming local drug shops.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California, San Francisco NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (San Francisco, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11170534 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would get services through nearby drug shops that have been trained and enrolled in a youth-friendly loyalty program called Malkia Klabu. Shops would offer HIV self-test kits and contraception and use specially trained staff or 'ambassadors' to make visits welcoming and confidential. Researchers will compare communities where shops keep offering these services after the research subsidy ends with communities that do not, and follow young women over time to see who uses HIV testing and contraception. The team will also study what supply-side supports (like kit supply, training, or incentives) are needed so shops can continue the program on their own and be scaled up.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Adolescent girls and young women aged 15–24 living near participating drug shops in sub‑Saharan Africa are the intended participants.
Not a fit: People outside the 15–24 age range, those not living near participating drug shops, or those already in facility-based HIV care are unlikely to benefit directly.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Could make HIV self-testing and contraception easier to get where young women already shop, lowering new infections and unintended pregnancies.
How similar studies have performed: The team has successfully piloted the Malkia Klabu loyalty program and is running a cluster randomized trial, and other work suggests drug shops can expand access, though long-term sustainability remains less tested.
Where this research is happening
San Francisco, United States
- University of California, San Francisco — San Francisco, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Liu, Jenny Xin — University of California, San Francisco
- Study coordinator: Liu, Jenny Xin
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.