# Engaging Vulnerable Women in HIV Prevention and Health Promotion through a Stigma-Reduction Intervention: A Pilot Study

> **NIH NIH R01** · BROWN UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $173,197

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This collaborative project between Beijing Normal University, Brown University, and Emory University responds
to PAR-23-190 by developing and testing a stigma reduction focused, gender affirmative mobile health (mHealth)
program to engage Chinese transgender women (TW) in HIV prevention via promoting their mental and sexual
health, HIV self-testing and use of HIV and gender-related community and medical resources. Chinese TW are
at threefold higher odds of HIV infection compared to their cisgender men who have sex with men peers yet no
intervention or public health initiative exists to address their HIV prevention needs. Chinese TW also face multi-
levels gender minority stress in a high stigma societal context, which in turn adversely affects their behavioral
health, awareness of services, and HIV service-seeking behaviors (e.g., testing), which ultimately contribute to
heightened HIV risk. There is an urgent need for evidence-based gender affirmative program as a potential way
to engage TW in HIV prevention services and enhance their psychological and sexual health in high-stigma,
LMIC contexts such as China. Building on the Gender Minority Stress framework and Transgender Resilience
Intervention Model, and informed by our team’s prior work mHealth for HIV-related mental and behavioral health,
we propose to develop a mobile app-based intervention (entitled “Zhen Wo”/”True Self”) delivered by TW peer
counselors, who will provide gender-affirmative counseling and skills training that aim to reduce internalized
transphobia and sexual risk behaviors, enhance coping and mental health, self-advocacy skills and resource
utilization to combat multi-levels gender stigma and structural barriers, and promote engagement in HIV
prevention services. By developing a low-cost, mHealth program delivered by TW peers and establishing a
protocol that engages with existing community resources, the True Self program has the potential to achieve
scalability and sustainability, if proven to be efficacious. The aims of this early phase, clinical project include: (1)
conduct formative interviews with Chinese TW (n = 25) and stakeholders (n = 10) to identify stigma-related
factors at various levels that contribute to poor mental health, sexual risk, and HIV testing, coping strategies,
resources, and preferences for intervention content and delivery procedures; (2) develop the True Self program
for Chinese TW at risk for HIV, followed by a small open pilot (n = 10) to finalize intervention protocol; (3) evaluate
the feasibility, acceptability, safety, and preliminary effects of the True Self program via a randomized controlled
trial (RCT) with TW with recent condomless/PrEP-less sex (n = 60). We will conduct quantitative assessments
at baseline, 3-month, and 6-months follow-ups. We will conduct exit-interviews with TW assigned to the True
Self condition (n = 30) to identify areas for further improvement and understand barriers and facilitators of
engagemen...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11002762
- **Project number:** 1R01TW012677-01A1
- **Recipient organization:** BROWN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** DanHua Lin
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $173,197
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-01 → 2027-07-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11002762

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11002762, Engaging Vulnerable Women in HIV Prevention and Health Promotion through a Stigma-Reduction Intervention: A Pilot Study (1R01TW012677-01A1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11002762. Licensed CC0.

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