Understanding mobility and risk in SEARCH communities
Study period: June 2015 – Ongoing.
The purpose of this 5-year study is to investigate how population mobility affects HIV transmission dynamics and HIV care cascade outcomes in eastern Africa. It leverages the Sustainable East Africa Research in Community Health (SEARCH) trial (NCT# 01864603), a 6-year study in 32 communities of 10,000 persons each in Uganda and Kenya to test the effectiveness of a “treatment as prevention” strategy for reducing community HIV incidence. This study’s aims are to measure the mobility of individuals in eastern African communities, estimate the impact of mobility on HIV incidence, and estimate the impact of mobility on HIV care cascade outcomes. The study will address critical scientific gaps in how best to measure mobility and its impact on the dual goals of preventing HIV and treating those already infected. We will translate study results into tangible strategies for addressing the challenges of mobile populations, in order to optimize HIV prevention and achieve the full potential of ART. Collaborators: MU-UCSF Research Collaboration. Sponsored by: National Institutes Health/National Institute of Mental Health.
