# A couples-based approach to HIV prevention for transgender women and their male partners

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR · 2020 · $586,583

## Abstract

Transgender (`trans') women (i.e., individuals with a feminine and/or female gender identity who were assigned
male at birth) are among the populations at highest risk for HIV in the United States and worldwide. One of the
most consistently reported contexts for HIV transmission among trans women is within a primary partnership
with a non-transgender male. Despite the critical importance of primary partnerships for HIV prevention, the
vast majority of HIV prevention studies and interventions for trans women have been individually-focused. For
the past 10 years we have conducted research to identify intervention targets for reducing HIV transmission
among trans women and their male partners using qualitative, survey, and intervention adaptation
methodologies (R01DA018621; R34MH093232). Based on our conceptual and empirical understandings of
HIV transmission risks among these couples, we recently developed and pilot tested the first known couples-
based HIV prevention intervention for trans women and their male primary partner dyads (called “Couples HIV
Intervention Program”; CHIP), which was feasible, acceptable, and produced significant reductions in sexual
risk behavior compared to the control group. Based on our highly successful R34 findings, we propose to test
the efficacy of the CHIP program in large-scale randomized controlled trial (RCT) to reduce HIV risk among
seroconcordant negative and serodiscordant couples. We will enroll racially diverse trans women and their
male partners and randomize couples to either the CHIP intervention or an enhanced standard of care (SOC)
control condition. Couples will be followed quarterly over 12-months. Analysis of study outcomes will utilize
both individual- and dyadic-level data. Our primary outcome is a composite measure of risk for HIV
transmission which encompasses validated behavioral indicators of HIV risk as well as biomedical confirmation
of viral suppression and PrEP adherence. The CHIP intervention builds on years of formative work that targets
interpersonal and social factors as mechanisms of HIV risk behavior among trans women and their male
partners. If the CHIP intervention demonstrates efficacy in comparison to an enhanced SOC control condition,
there will be support for implementing this approach within HIV prevention and care settings in order to reduce
disparities in HIV transmission and acquisition among some of the highest priority HIV prevention populations.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9928513
- **Project number:** 5R01MH115765-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN AT ANN ARBOR
- **Principal Investigator:** Kristi E Gamarel
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $586,583
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-07-15 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9928513

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9928513, A couples-based approach to HIV prevention for transgender women and their male partners (5R01MH115765-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9928513. Licensed CC0.

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