CHPIR’s SMILE Proposal Receives NIH R01 Funding!

It’s time to celebrate! CHPIR’s proposal for The SMILE Study received the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Research Project Grant (R01), the original and historically oldest grant mechanism used by the NIH. R01 is the most prestigious grant award offered by the NIH and funds up to  $250,000 a year for up to 5 years– altogether over $1 million of funding! 

The SMILE Study has 3 aims:

1. Estimate prevalence of anxiety, depression, PTSD, suicidal ideation and substance abuse symptomatology among sexual and gender minorities (SGMs) in three culturally diverse low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)
2. Identify cultural, contextual, interpersonal and individual determinants of mental health over time, by and across SGM group and country
3. Determine SGMs’ mental health intervention preferences through Discrete Choice Experiments

Through researching each unique groups’ characteristics, stressors, mental health needs, and preferred modes of Evidence-Based Treatment (EBT) delivery to understand which interventions are needed and how they should be implemented, the SMILE Study hopes to implement and scale-up culturally appropriate Evidence-Based Treatments (EBTs) for Sexual and Gender Minorities (SGMs). The SMILE Study will be conducted in 3 Low Middle Income Countries: Kenya, Brazil, and Vietnam.

Congratulations, SMILE  team!

Check out The SMILE Study website: http://smilestudy.org/