# Perceived Norms About Alcohol Use and HIV/STI Prevention among Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Uganda

> **NIH NIH R01** · VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $640,010

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Adolescents & young adults (AYA) accounted for >400,000 new HIV infections in 2021 worldwide. Heavy
alcohol use is a prevalent and strong modifiable risk factor for HIV transmission risk behavior in Uganda.
Studies from in high-income countries show that AYA often misperceive peer norms around health and health
risk behavior and that these misperceptions increase risk behavior and impede health behavior. While these
perceptions are modifiable risk factors, few studies of AYA in southern & eastern Africa describe how
misperceptions of peer norms drive alcohol use and HIV/STI transmission risk and prevention behavior and
associated health outcomes nor address how to change misperceived norms. The central hypotheses of this
application are that AYA in rural Uganda frequently misperceive peer norms about alcohol consumption and
HIV/STI prevention; that these misperceptions affect their own propensities to engage in HIV/STI transmission
risk behavior; and that perceived norms are malleable when AYA receive information about actual peer norms
that conflicts with personal perceptions and behavior. These hypotheses have been formulated based on
preliminary data showing that AYA in rural Uganda misperceive norms about alcohol use and HIV/STI
transmission risk behavior, a finding that is consistent with other preliminary data demonstrating similar
phenomena among adults in this context. The preliminary data are also consistent with published trials from
the U.S., UK, and elsewhere showing that AYA misperceptions can be altered through “personalized normative
feedback” and other norms correction interventions wherein they are provided with correct information about
actual norms. The team has engaged local leaders & educators in Mbarara, Uganda to propose a population-
based cohort study, in which they will embed a randomized controlled trial, of AYA in 3 secondary schools to
achieve three specific aims: 1) Use qualitative methods to explore perceived norms around alcohol, HIV/STI
transmission risk behavior, and HIV/STI prevention among AYA in Mbarara, Uganda; 2) Estimate the causal
effects of perceived norms around alcohol use and HIV/STI transmission risk behavior on HIV/STI prevention
among AYA; and, 3) Conduct a mixed-methods, randomized controlled trial to test the preliminary efficacy and
mediating mechanism of a personalized normative feedback intervention on behavioral intentions, heavy
alcohol use, and HIV/STI prevention among AYA. The key innovation is that this study will be the first to
rigorously estimate the causal influence of perceived peer norms around alcohol and HIV/STI transmission risk
behavior on HIV/STI prevention among AYA in Africa. The study will have significant public health impact by
laying the foundation for strategies to focus on changing misperceived norms to influence HIV/STI prevention
uptake among AYA throughout eastern & southern Africa.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11007623
- **Project number:** 1R01AA031936-01
- **Recipient organization:** VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Jessica M Perkins
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $640,010
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-09-20 → 2029-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11007623

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11007623, Perceived Norms About Alcohol Use and HIV/STI Prevention among Adolescents and Young Adults in Rural Uganda (1R01AA031936-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11007623. Licensed CC0.

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