We saw the last participants for the CHOMA study in January 2024. Every person involved has contributed to a greater understanding of young women’s mental health and HIV prevention, and we’d like to thank all the CHOMA participants for their contribution, as well as all the stakeholders at the clinics who made this research possible.
Why was the study done?
Up to 5 out of 10 young women in South Africa have mental health challenges like depression and stress. These challenges can affect how young women use PrEP. “The Friendship Bench” is a counselling approach that was developed in Zimbabwe, and previous research has shown that it can improve mental health symptoms. In the CHOMA study, we explored whether “The Friendship Bench” was acceptable to young people and whether it could improve young women’s mental health and PrEP use in South Africa. PrEP is a daily oral pill that is taken to prevent HIV, you can read more about PrEP at myprep.co.za
Who was enrolled in the study?
We enrolled 116 young women in the study, aged 18-25 years old. We enrolled young women in Johannesburg, South Africa, who were taking PrEP and were also experiencing common mental health symptoms at the time of joining the study.
How was the study conducted?
Participants in the study joined one of two groups that were assigned by a computer program at random, like a flip of a coin. Participants in both groups received standard-of-care mental health services which included mental health assessment at each visit and offer of referral for further mental health care. All participants also received counselling on their PrEP use, following a urine test that showed how much PrEP was in the body. PrEP counselling allowed participants to talk to a counsellor about how to overcome any challenges related to taking PrEP.
In addition to standard-of-care mental health services and PrEP counselling, one of the two study groups also received the Friendship Bench counselling. The Friendship Bench is a type of counselling that focuses on problem-solving. Young female counsellors helped participants to identify personal challenges and come up with a plan to address the challenges. Participants in this group were also invited to an optional Career and Financial Planning workshop.
How long were participants in the study?
All participants were in the study for a period of three months. All participants were asked to attend three study visits in the research clinic. The Friendship Bench group were asked to attend two additional visits which could be conducted in the research clinic, or over the phone.
When did the study start and end?
The study started on 31 March 2023 and ended on the 24 January 2024.