Improving HIV Outcomes in Senegal

Dr. Noelle Benzekri, assistant professor (Allergy and Infectious Diseases) is the PI of a newly awarded R01 entitled, “Leveraging Agriculture and Uniting Communities to Improve HIV Outcomes in Senegal (LAUNCH): A cluster randomized controlled trial.”

Building on prior work linking food insecurity to poor HIV outcomes among women living with HIV in Senegal, this trial will evaluate a multisectoral nutrition-sensitive agricultural intervention implemented in the post-conflict Casamance region.

The study will determine the impact of the intervention on HIV outcomes, food security, mental health, and women's empowerment, and will assess the cost-effectiveness and scalability of the intervention, with the goal of identifying sustainable strategies to improve the health and well-being of women living with HIV in West Africa.