# ITEST: Innovative Tools to Expand Youth-Friendly HIV Self-Testing

> **NIH NIH UH3** · SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $237,209

## Abstract

Abstract
The proposed supplement is within scope of Specific Aims 1 and 2 in our parent ITEST study
(UH3HD096929). The supplement focus on the same participant population (AYA in Nigeria),
use the same conceptual framework (youth participatory action research), uses the same
methodologies (crowdsourcing open calls), adopts the same focus on implementation science,
and similarly will help to decrease HIV incidence among at-risk AYA. Our findings from initial
AYA crowdsourcing activities in Nigeria suggested that AYA had limited understanding of PrEP.
In 2020, there were few PrEP demonstration projects or national guidance that recommended
the use of PrEP. As a result, our randomized controlled trial did not have PrEP uptake as a
secondary outcome and did not focus on PrEP. However, there have been four major recent
shifts that provide a unique opportunity to now focus on PrEP and inform Nigerian national PrEP
use among AYA: (1) There are now more demonstration projects focused on PrEP among at-
risk individuals, including adolescents (REFS); (2) the national Nigerian HIV prevention
guidelines explicitly recommend the use of PrEP;4 (3) youth-led community engagement
programs conducted by our UH3 project demonstrate that AYA are interested and willing to start
PrEP (REFS); (4) excellent rates of linkage from HIV self-testing into youth-friendly clinics and
STD testing from our UH3 study suggest that this could be a feasible mechanism to organize
HIV prevention services for at-risk Nigerian AYA. The proposed supplement logically builds on
the foundation from the 2021 crowdsourcing open call and 2022 designathon which both
focused on ways to enhance PrEP uptake among AYA in Nigeria. We will draw on the strong
resources, infrastructure, and relationships that have been developed in the initial phases of this
study. The proposed supplement will be led by the Nigerian Institute of Medical Research and
supported by St. Louis University and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the three
key partners which led the parent UH3 study. Our skills, experience, and knowledge make our
team uniquely qualified to organize this research.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10619291
- **Project number:** 3UH3HD096929-04S1
- **Recipient organization:** SAINT LOUIS UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** OLIVER CHUKWUJEKWU EZECHI
- **Activity code:** UH3 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $237,209
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-09-01 → 2023-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10619291

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10619291, ITEST: Innovative Tools to Expand Youth-Friendly HIV Self-Testing (3UH3HD096929-04S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10619291. Licensed CC0.

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