# Social media HIV prevention intervention for rural women drug users

> **NIH NIH R34** · UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY · 2020 · $155,420

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
The overall aim of this R34 application is to adapt and feasibility test an evidence-based intervention for HIV
prevention for a high-risk group of rural women in Appalachia. This study has potential to make a significant
contribution to science by advancing knowledge on the use of social media to increase access to prevention
interventions to reduce high-risk substance use and related health disparities among rural women during a time
of emerging and significant public health risk in Appalachia. Successfully accomplishing study aims will respond
to a critical and unmet need to increase the reach and scope of prevention interventions using social media, as
well as advance knowledge about the high-risk drug use behaviors of this underserved group. Considering the
need for prevention interventions among this high-risk group and the popularity of Facebook, the purpose of this
R34 proposal is to adapt an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention for social media delivery and to
feasibility test through a randomized control trial with 60 high-risk rural women drug users. The following aims
guide the proposed study: (1) Adapt the NIDA Standard for HIV prevention for delivery via Facebook; and (2)
Examine the feasibility of the adapted intervention with high-risk rural women through a randomized control pilot.
The proposed use of Facebook in this study is promising because it is a stable, widely used, cost-efficient
platform that could be leveraged to increase access to critically needed HIV prevention education. This study
presents an exciting opportunity to examine the use of Facebook as a technique to expand the reach of evidence-
based preventions interventions for high-risk drug users who are not likely to engage in formal treatment.
Findings from this study will inform development of the larger R01 which would allow examination of the
effectiveness and sustainability of this HIV prevention intervention in understudied, high risk populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9856426
- **Project number:** 5R34DA045563-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
- **Principal Investigator:** Michele Staton
- **Activity code:** R34 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $155,420
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-04-01 → 2023-02-28

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9856426

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9856426, Social media HIV prevention intervention for rural women drug users (5R34DA045563-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9856426. Licensed CC0.

---

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