# Developing an mHealth Intervention that Leverages Social Networks to Improve ART Adherence among HIV-Infected Adolescents in South Africa

> **NIH NIH K01** · DUKE UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $168,392

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY / ABSTRACT
The proposed Mentored Research Scientist Development Award (K01) will provide Dr. Mulawa with the
training and mentorship to become an independent behavioral scientist focused on the development and
evaluation of innovative multi-level interventions that reduce AIDS-related morbidity and mortality in resource-
limited settings. The objective of the proposed research is to identify social network-level factors associated
with adherence to antiretroviral therapy (ART) among perinatally HIV-infected adolescents in Cape Town,
South Africa, and to use this information to develop and pilot test a mobile health (mHealth) intervention to
promote ART adherence by engaging the social networks of this population. This K01 will provide the
necessary support for Dr. Mulawa to achieve the following scientific training objectives: (1) obtain investigator-
level skills in the design, execution, and evaluation of clinical trials, (2) build expertise in mHealth intervention
development, deployment, and evaluation, (3) enrich statistical capacities in the analysis of egocentric and
longitudinal social network data, and (4) gain proficiency in adolescent-specific theories of behavior change
and concepts with salience to the South African cultural context. Additional professional training objectives
include expanding training in the ethical conduct of cross-cultural research in low-resource settings and
building general professional development skills. To support these goals, Dr. Mulawa has a mentoring team led
by Dr. Kathleen Sikkema, an expert in the development and evaluation of HIV behavioral trials in the South
African context. Co-Mentors and Advisors will provide expertise in the development of HIV-related mHealth
interventions for adolescents (Dr. Lisa Hightow-Weidman), the use of social network analysis to understand
adolescent behaviors (Dr. James Moody), adolescent psychiatric health in South Africa (Dr. Jacqueline Hoare),
as well as quantitative (Dr. Joseph Egger) and qualitative methods (Dr. Melissa Watt). Training objectives will
be met through a comprehensive training plan involving one-on-one meetings, didactics/trainings, mentor-
directed readings, seminars/lab meetings, and scientific meetings. Skills gained through the training plan will
be put into action through the execution of a complementary research plan. The proposed study will be
conducted with a cohort of perinatally HIV-infected adolescents, ages 12-14 years in Aim 1 data, enrolled in a
sub-study of the Cape Town Adolescent Antiretroviral Cohort (CTAAC). Aim 1 is to analyze egocentric social
network data from CTAAC participants (n = 100) to identify the relationship between social network-level
factors (structural and functional characteristics) and ART adherence. Aim 2 is to iteratively customize an
mHealth intervention that leverages social networks to promote ART adherence in this population. Aim 3 is to
pilot test the mHealth intervention with 50 CTAAC adoles...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10450667
- **Project number:** 5K01MH118072-04
- **Recipient organization:** DUKE UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Marta I Mulawa
- **Activity code:** K01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $168,392
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2019-06-01 → 2024-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10450667

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10450667, Developing an mHealth Intervention that Leverages Social Networks to Improve ART Adherence among HIV-Infected Adolescents in South Africa (5K01MH118072-04). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10450667. Licensed CC0.

---

*[NIH grants dataset](/datasets/nih-grants) · CC0 1.0*