# mHealth Peer Support to Reduce Rates of STIs in Black MSM PrEP Users

> **NIH NIH K23** · LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER · 2020 · $146,664

## Abstract

PROEJECT SUMMARY
Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) with emtricitibine/tenofovir disoproxyl fumarate (FTC/TDF) has been
shown to dramatically reduce transmission of HIV in men who have sex with men (MSM). However,
as an antiretroviral medication, it does not protect against other sexually transmitted infections (STIs).
Currently in the US, STI rates are at an “unprecedented high,” according to the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention. These elevated rates are especially pronounced in MSM prescribed PrEP
and represent a crucial public health problem that requires immediate attention. Dr. Clement's K23
proposal will focus on addressing this problem through the use of mobile health (mHealth) technology
in a critically important population with profound health disparities, Black MSM in the South. First, to
understand predictors of STIs, she will explore the relationship between social factors (e.g. social
isolation) and STI incidence; these relationships will inform research efforts to focus on those at
highest risk for STIs. Second, she will investigate facilitators and barriers to STI risk reduction
practices through in-depth interviews (IDIs) with Black MSM PrEP users. She will specifically inquire
about peer support as a facilitator to STI risk reduction practices, and gather initial feedback on the
peer support features of the mSMART application (“app”). Data will be used to adapt the app, which
will be further assessed in focus groups. These qualitative studies will give valuable insight into
factors driving sexual risk taking that the mSMART app will then target. Third, in a pilot investigation
of Black MSM PrEP users with predictive STI risk factors, as identified in the first aim, she will
conduct a randomized study to determine the feasibility and preliminary impact of the adapted
mSMART app in reducing STI incidence. Through this proposal, Dr. Clement will build upon her
experience in STIs with continued pursuit of critical public health research, and as a result be
prepared to become a national leader in the field of HIV/STI prevention. Didactic coursework will
bolster Dr. Clement's quantitative analytic skills and solidify her knowledge base. Additionally, she will
gain training and experience in mHealth technology, a growing field with broad applications for health
care access and delivery. She will also gain an appreciation for the application of qualitative science
that will serve fruitful in future investigations. The mentorship team, led by Dr. Susanna Naggie, an
experienced HIV investigator, will include experts in behavioral science related to PrEP (Dr. Amy
Corneli), the use of mHealth technology in Black MSM (Dr. Sara LeGrand), and biostatistics (Dr.
Cliburn Chan). Also included as collaborators are Dr. Arlene Seña, an expert in STIs who is Medical
Director of the Durham County Department of Public Health, Dr. Mehri McKellar, the Medical Director
of the Duke PrEP clinic, Dr. John Mitchell, a clinical psychologist who has pione...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10003946
- **Project number:** 5K23AI137121-04
- **Recipient organization:** LSU HEALTH SCIENCES CENTER
- **Principal Investigator:** Meredith Edwards Clement
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $146,664
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-09-03 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10003946

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10003946, mHealth Peer Support to Reduce Rates of STIs in Black MSM PrEP Users (5K23AI137121-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10003946. Licensed CC0.

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