Global WACh

Mental Health

July 21, 2025

Global WACh researchers and partners at the 2025 International Workshop on Pediatrics & HIV and International AIDS Society Conference: Posters and Presentations

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Researchers from the University of Washington (UW), University of Nairobi, and Kenyatta National Hospitals at IAS 2025 in July 2025.


In July, researchers affiliated with UW/Global WACh and Kenyan partner institutions attended two conferences held in Kigali, Rwanda: The International Workshop on Pediatrics & HIV held from July 11-12 and the International AIDS Society (IAS) Conference on HIV Science held from July 13-17.  Both conferences are highly influential meetings on cutting-edge HIV research and its applications to move science into policy and practice.

We’ve rounded up 19 poster abstracts and one oral abstract by University of Washington, University of Nairobi, and Kenyatta National Hospital faculty, staff, and student researchers working on several collaborative studies based in Kenya. Their findings presented the last scientific discoveries on maternal mental health, childhood neurodevelopment, father engagement, pediatric HIV prevention and care, and PrEP uptake and adherence among adolescents and young women. (more…)

March 21, 2025

MIND collaborators convene for child development research in Nairobi, Kenya

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MIND collaborators at the Palacina Suites Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. Photo: Mugo Mureithi

In January, nearly 50 collaborators affiliated with the Drug, microbiome, and immune determinants of birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with exposure to HIV infection (MIND) study attended the 2nd annual convening in Nairobi, Kenya. Launched in early 2023, MIND leverages three ongoing childhood development studies in Kenya and supports two core groups that provide access to technologies, services, training, and consultation to successfully execute the studies.

It is a remarkable partnership involving several investigators and administrators from UW/Global WACh, Kenyatta National Hospital, University of Nairobi, Kenya Medical Research Institute, Emory University, Fred Hutch, Seattle Children’s Hospital, and Makerere University who share knowledge and common resources to generate evidence on biological factors that may cause adverse birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in young children exposed to HIV but are uninfected. The two-day convening provided a forum to share progress since the inaugural meeting in January 2024 and team retreat at UW in October 2024, and to discuss future directions of research collaborations. (more…)

March 6, 2024

New study aims to promote perinatal mental health screening and reduce the burden of perinatal mood and anxiety disorders in Kenya

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Multiple Principal Investigators Drs. John Kinuthia, Amritha Bhat, and Keshet Ronen

Pregnancy and the birth of a child is an exciting and celebratory time for many families. However, for many women and their families, it can be a difficult time if the mother is experiencing symptoms of depression or anxiety. These feelings may get better or go away with time, but if they don’t, it is critical to access care to prevent worsening symptoms and recover. Without appropriate intervention, these feelings can have long term adverse implications for the mental, physical, and emotional health of women, children, and their families. (more…)

February 27, 2024

MIND collaborators convene in Nairobi to advance childhood development and mental health research in Kenya

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MIND Program collaborators at the Palacina Suites Hotel in Nairobi, Kenya. (Photo: Mugo Mureithi)

In January, nearly 40 collaborators affiliated with the Drug, microbiome, and immune determinants of birth and neurodevelopmental outcomes in children with exposure to HIV infection (MIND) grant attended a two-day convening in Nairobi, Kenya. Launched in early 2023, the project leverages three ongoing childhood development studies in Kenya and supports two core groups that provide access to technologies, services, training, and consultation to successfully execute the studies. The meeting provided a forum to share progress and discuss future directions of research collaborations from UW/Global WACh, Kenyatta National Hospital, University of Nairobi, Emory University, Fred Hutch, and Makerere University. (more…)

March 31, 2023

Sikiliza Mama study centers patients’ needs to inform perinatal mental health services

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Sikiliza Mama study team members from left to right: Ben Ochieng, Joan Mutahi, Helen Moraa, Winnie Atieno, Anna Larsen

The Sikiliza Mama (Kiswahili for “Listen to Mama”) study, funded by a UW Behavioral Research Center for HIV (BIRCH) Community Centered Pilot AIDS Research Center (C-PARC) award, recently initiated qualitative data collection.  The team is using a human-centered design approach to conduct in-depth interviews among perinatal women with likely depression and/or anxiety to evaluate acceptability of existing formal and informal mental health services. The findings can help inform patient-centered perinatal mood and anxiety disorders (PMAD) services for women at risk for HIV and women living with HIV and result in better maternal and infant outcomes. (more…)