K43TW011943
Project Grant
Overview
Grant Description
ZIKHETHELE - CHOOSE FOR YOU: EVALUATING CHOICE-BASED ANTIRETROVIRAL THERAPY SUPPORT FOR PATIENTS RETURNING TO HIV CARE AFTER TREATMENT INTERRUPTION IN SOUTH AFRICA - PROJECT SUMMARY
People living with HIV (PLH) are likely to cycle into and out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services over time. Even after return to HIV care (RTC), PLH who have interrupted treatment remain vulnerable to attrition and poor treatment outcomes.
A range of evidence-based ART support interventions exist including community-based and mobile health (mHealth) ART support interventions. The overarching goals of this proposal are to understand existing RTC practices, incorporate patient preference to refine a community-based and mHealth ART support intervention, and examine the role of choice in delivering RTC ART support.
Candidate: Dr. Phillips is an HIV epidemiologist with training in quantitative research methods and experience with field research implementation in South Africa. She is applying for a five-year Fogarty Emerging Global Leader Award to obtain the additional training, mentorship, and experience required to become a leading independent investigator capable of obtaining R-series funding.
Mentoring: She has assembled an exceptional multidisciplinary team with extensive expertise in HIV intervention research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Drs. Myer (University of Cape Town (UCT)) and Chi (University of North Carolina (UNC)) will serve as primary mentors providing complementary expertise on HIV intervention research and implementation science. Drs. Maman (UNC) and Knight (UCT), co-mentors, are social scientists with expertise in qualitative and behavioral research particularly in the context of intervention design and evaluation. Dr. Thirumurthy (University of Pennsylvania: expertise in behavioral economics and measuring patient preference), Dr. Bekker (UCT: expertise in HIV care interventions and preference trials for contraceptive and HIV prevention methods), Dr. Hosseinipour (UNC: expertise in clinical, health service, and implementation science with long-term adult HIV care in SSA), and Dr. Clouse (Vanderbilt University: expertise in mHealth intervention research in South Africa) will provide scientific advice in these areas.
Training: Specific training in intervention design and evaluation – specifically incorporating implementation science, social and behavioral methods, and patient preference – will be achieved through intensive mentored training and formal coursework. This, combined with the experience gained through implementing my research aims, will establish Dr. Phillips’ independent research career investigating interventions to support lifelong HIV care.
Research: The specific aims of this research are to: 1) characterize existing practices for providing RTC ART support and patient experience following RTC, 2) refine existing community-based and mHealth ART support interventions based on RTC patient preferences for modifiable attributes, and 3) determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of offering a choice of ART support intervention to RTC patients.
The results of this study will inform our understanding of RTC ART support including the role of patient choice. They will provide preliminary data needed to apply for an R01 to conduct a patient preference trial to rigorously examine the impact of patient choice in ART support delivery.
People living with HIV (PLH) are likely to cycle into and out of antiretroviral therapy (ART) services over time. Even after return to HIV care (RTC), PLH who have interrupted treatment remain vulnerable to attrition and poor treatment outcomes.
A range of evidence-based ART support interventions exist including community-based and mobile health (mHealth) ART support interventions. The overarching goals of this proposal are to understand existing RTC practices, incorporate patient preference to refine a community-based and mHealth ART support intervention, and examine the role of choice in delivering RTC ART support.
Candidate: Dr. Phillips is an HIV epidemiologist with training in quantitative research methods and experience with field research implementation in South Africa. She is applying for a five-year Fogarty Emerging Global Leader Award to obtain the additional training, mentorship, and experience required to become a leading independent investigator capable of obtaining R-series funding.
Mentoring: She has assembled an exceptional multidisciplinary team with extensive expertise in HIV intervention research in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Drs. Myer (University of Cape Town (UCT)) and Chi (University of North Carolina (UNC)) will serve as primary mentors providing complementary expertise on HIV intervention research and implementation science. Drs. Maman (UNC) and Knight (UCT), co-mentors, are social scientists with expertise in qualitative and behavioral research particularly in the context of intervention design and evaluation. Dr. Thirumurthy (University of Pennsylvania: expertise in behavioral economics and measuring patient preference), Dr. Bekker (UCT: expertise in HIV care interventions and preference trials for contraceptive and HIV prevention methods), Dr. Hosseinipour (UNC: expertise in clinical, health service, and implementation science with long-term adult HIV care in SSA), and Dr. Clouse (Vanderbilt University: expertise in mHealth intervention research in South Africa) will provide scientific advice in these areas.
Training: Specific training in intervention design and evaluation – specifically incorporating implementation science, social and behavioral methods, and patient preference – will be achieved through intensive mentored training and formal coursework. This, combined with the experience gained through implementing my research aims, will establish Dr. Phillips’ independent research career investigating interventions to support lifelong HIV care.
Research: The specific aims of this research are to: 1) characterize existing practices for providing RTC ART support and patient experience following RTC, 2) refine existing community-based and mHealth ART support interventions based on RTC patient preferences for modifiable attributes, and 3) determine the feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact of offering a choice of ART support intervention to RTC patients.
The results of this study will inform our understanding of RTC ART support including the role of patient choice. They will provide preliminary data needed to apply for an R01 to conduct a patient preference trial to rigorously examine the impact of patient choice in ART support delivery.
Awardee
Funding Goals
THE JOHN E. FOGARTY INTERNATIONAL CENTER (FIC) SUPPORTS RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING TO REDUCE DISPARITIES IN GLOBAL HEALTH AND TO FOSTER PARTNERSHIPS BETWEEN U.S. SCIENTISTS AND THEIR COUNTERPARTS ABROAD. FIC SUPPORTS BASIC BIOLOGICAL, BEHAVIORAL, AND SOCIAL SCIENCE RESEARCH, AS WELL AS RELATED RESEARCH TRAINING AND CAREER DEVELOPMENT. THE RESEARCH PORTFOLIO IS DIVIDED INTO SEVERAL PROGRAMS THAT SUPPORT A WIDE VARIETY OF FUNDING MECHANISMS TO MEET PROGRAMMATIC OBJECTIVES.
Grant Program (CFDA)
Awarding Agency
Funding Agency
Place of Performance
South Africa
Geographic Scope
Foreign
Related Opportunity
Analysis Notes
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 542% from $93,129 to $597,527.
University Of Cape Town was awarded
Choice-Based ART Support for HIV Patients in South Africa
Project Grant K43TW011943
worth $597,527
from the National Institute of Mental Health in August 2021 with work to be completed primarily in South Africa.
The grant
has a duration of 4 years 9 months and
was awarded through assistance program 93.242 Mental Health Research Grants.
The Project Grant was awarded through grant opportunity Emerging Global Leader Award (K43 Independent Clinical Trial Required).
Status
(Ongoing)
Last Modified 7/21/25
Period of Performance
8/23/21
Start Date
5/31/26
End Date
Funding Split
$597.5K
Federal Obligation
$0.0
Non-Federal Obligation
$597.5K
Total Obligated
Activity Timeline
Transaction History
Modifications to K43TW011943
Additional Detail
Award ID FAIN
K43TW011943
SAI Number
K43TW011943-3164872389
Award ID URI
SAI UNAVAILABLE
Awardee Classifications
Public/State Controlled Institution Of Higher Education
Awarding Office
75NF00 NIH Fogarty International Center
Funding Office
75N700 NIH National Institute of Mental Health
Awardee UEI
NN5NML6VUCF9
Awardee CAGE
SBH72
Performance District
Not Applicable
Budget Funding
| Federal Account | Budget Subfunction | Object Class | Total | Percentage |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0892) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $100,000 | 51% |
| John E. Fogarty International Center, National Institutes of Health, Health and Human Services (075-0819) | Health research and training | Grants, subsidies, and contributions (41.0) | $97,351 | 49% |
Modified: 7/21/25