Florida State University researchers Sylvie Naar, Ph.D., founding director of CTBScience, and Lisa Hightow-Weidman, M.D., founding director of the Institute on Digital Health and Innovation, have received a $3.18 million National Institutes of Health award to advance approaches to HIV prevention and behavioral health among young adults.

Their study will focus on improving implementation of Healthy Choices (HC), a motivational interviewing-based intervention designed to reduce alcohol use and HIV-related risk. Through HealthMpowerment (HMP), a digital community platform that promotes engagement, peer support and stigma reduction, the team will evaluate different levels of digital support and their effects on intervention adoption and delivery.

The researchers will also examine implementation barriers, including staffing limitations, participant retention and intervention fidelity. Findings from the study could help expand access to evidence-based behavioral health interventions for young adults through digital platforms.