The CHERISH Project returns to South Africa

Researchers leading the NIHR funded ‘Couples Health Research and Intervention Studies’ (CHERISH) Global Health project have returned to South Africa after a two-year absence.

CHERISH is designing and evaluating couples-focused interventions to address HIV, diabetes, and other health conditions in sub-Saharan Africa.

For the past two years, researchers have been unable to conduct research in the field, until recently.

Professor Nuala McGrath, alongside post-doc Kirsten Smith and MMedSci student Matt Burgess, travelled to Cape Town to deliver two diabetes management workshops to couples where one partner has Type 2 diabetes.

The workshops were prepared and delivered in collaboration with researchers from University of Cape Town. The workshops also involved in interviewing the couples.

“It’s been very challenging, developing these materials remotely over the past year. Nothing really compares to being in the field, speaking with the people and learning from their experiences,” says Kirsten. “But from what we’ve heard, there is a real thirst for this kind of intervention. I think we’ve made a profound difference to some people’s lives, which makes it all worthwhile.”

The team has also been trialing an intervention to persuade couples to test for HIV in the eastern province of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. The trip also allowed Matt and Professor McGrath to drive the project in the final stages of its trial.

The project is being led by the University of Southampton in partnership with and two South African institutions: Human Sciences Research Council and University of Cape Town.

Learn more about the CHERISH Project here.