# Innovative Tools to Expand HIV Self-Testing and Long-Acting Injectables for HIV Treatment and Prevention Among Commercial Minibus Drivers (I-TEST LAIs)

> **NIH NIH R01** · GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $809,692

## Abstract

Abstract: Commercial minibus drivers constitute a large social network of highly mobile men
who work long and demanding hours, are at increased risk for HIV, and have limited time to
seek health services for HIV. In our preliminary work, our team found a high HIV seropositivity
rate of 12.5% among 407 commercial minibus drivers in Nigeria, a prevalence that is nine times
higher than the national HIV average. Despite the high willingness to test for HIV among the
drivers, the mobile nature of their work poses substantial barriers for those living with HIV to
initiate and adhere to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and for those who are HIV-negative and are at
risk for HIV to obtain pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Therefore, innovative strategies such as
HIV self-testing (HIVST), which allows individuals to test at home or in private, and long-acting-
injectable ART (LAI ART) or LAI PrEP may work better to address the barriers that impede
commercial drivers from accessing HIV testing, prevention, and treatment services. Our team
has recently evaluated a youth-friendly HIVST intervention combined with linkage to PrEP in
Nigeria as part of an NIH-funded project called ITEST: Innovative Tools to Expand Youth-
friendly HIV Self-Testing (UH3HD096929). We propose to leverage our established research
program in Nigeria in collaboration with the National Institute of Medical Research to implement
a tailored ITEST intervention for commercial minibus drivers (ITEST LAIs), which will include
male peer-led distribution of HIV self-testing kits combined with demand creation for both oral
and LAI modalities of ART and PrEP. Our multi-disciplinary research team proposes a hybrid
type I effectiveness-implementation study to assess clinical and implementation determinants
outcomes simultaneously. Our specific aims are: Aim 1: Determine the comparative
effectiveness of the I-TEST LAI intervention compared to SoC on LAI PrEP uptake and HIV
prevention among minibus drivers in Nigeria. In addition, explore the impact of mediating and
moderating factors on influencing primary and secondary outcomes. Aim 2: D etermine the
effectiveness of the I-TEST LAI intervention compared to SoC on LAI ART uptake, retention in
care, and viral suppression among minibus drivers living with HIV with viral suppression (VL
below 1000 HIV RNA copies/ml). In addition, explore the impact of mediating and moderating
factors on influencing primary and secondary outcomes. Aim 3: As part of our type 1 hybrid
implementation-effectiveness design, assess determinants of implementation, and estimate
cost-effectiveness to inform scale-up and dissemination.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11009232
- **Project number:** 1R01AI186786-01
- **Recipient organization:** GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Donaldson Conserve
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $809,692
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-08-15 → 2029-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11009232

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11009232, Innovative Tools to Expand HIV Self-Testing and Long-Acting Injectables for HIV Treatment and Prevention Among Commercial Minibus Drivers (I-TEST LAIs) (1R01AI186786-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-12 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11009232. Licensed CC0.

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