Dr. Jennifer Belus

Belus, Jennifer M., van Heerden, Alastair, Hines, Abigail C., Pita, Thembelihle P., Mdakane, Yvonne, Magidson, Jessica F., van Rooyen, Heidi, & Barnabas, Ruanne V. (2025). Couple-Based Intervention to Improve HIV Care Engagement for Women and their Partners in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa: Outcomes of a Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial. Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care, 24. https://doi.org/10.1177/23259582241307694

Belus, Jennifer M., Johnson, Natalie E., Yoon, Grace H., Tschumi, Nadine, Lerotholi, Malebanye, Falgas-Bague, Irene, Lee, Tristan T., Letsoela, Pearl, Magidson, Jessica F., Amstutz, Alain, & Labhardt, Niklaus D. (2024). SMSs as an alternative to provider-delivered care for unhealthy alcohol use: study protocol for Leseli, an open-label randomised controlled trial of mhGAP-Remote vs mhGAP-Standard in Lesotho [Journal-article]. Trials, 25(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13063-024-08411-3

Belus, Jennifer M., Regenauer, Kristen S., Lu, Thanh, Murphy, Sean M., Rose, Alexandra L., Ochieng, Yvonne Akinyi, Joska, John, Majokweni, Sybil, Andersen, Lena S., Myers, Bronwyn, Safren, Steven A., & Magidson, Jessica F. (2024). Increases in employment over six months following Khanya: A secondary analysis of a pilot randomized controlled trial of a peer-delivered behavioral intervention for substance use and HIV medication adherence in Cape Town, South Africa [Journal-article]. International Journal of Drug Policy, 134, 104632. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugpo.2024.104632

Harder, Michelle T., Mokete, Moliehi, Chammartin, Frédérique, Lerotholi, Malebanye, Motaboli, Lipontso, Kopo, Mathebe, Kao, Mpho, Mokebe, Moleboheng, Chejane, Ntoiseng, Mahlatsi, Palesa, Nyakane, Morongoe, Tarumbiswa, Tapiwa, Labhardt, Niklaus D., Tschumi, Nadine, & Belus, Jennifer M. (2024). Cervical cancer screening delay and associated factors among women with HIV in Lesotho: a mixed-methods study. BMC Women’s Health, 24(1), 543. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12905-024-03382-8

Myers, B., Regenauer, K. S., Rose, A., Johnson, K., Ndamase, S., Ciya, N., Brown, I., Joska, J., Bassett, I. V., Belus, J. M., Ma, T. (., Sibeko, G., & Magidson, J. F. (2024). Community health worker training to reduce mental health and substance use stigma towards patients who have disengaged from HIV/TB care in South Africa: protocol for a stepped wedge hybrid type II pilot implementation trial. Implementation Science Communications, 5(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-023-00537-w

Regenauer, K. S., Rose, A. L., Belus, J. M., Johnson, K., Ciya, N., Ndamase, S., Jacobs, Y., Staniland, L., Sibeko, G., Bassett, I. V., Joska, J., Myers, B., & Magidson, J. F. (2024). Piloting Siyakhana: A community health worker training to reduce substance use and depression stigma in South African HIV and TB care. PLOS Global Public Health, 4(5 May). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002657

Belus, J. M., Hines, A. C., Magidson, J. F., Iwamoto, D. K., Rose, A. L., Li, A., Barnabas, R. V., & van Heerden, A. (2024). Development and empirical test of the research-informed South African Relationship Functioning Assessment (SARFA). Personal Relationships, 31(1), 44–66. https://doi.org/10.1111/pere.12522

Belus, J. M., Msimango, L. I., van Heerden, A., Magidson, J. F., Bradley, V. D., Mdakane, Y., van Rooyen, H., & Barnabas, R. V. (2024). Barriers, Facilitators, and Strategies to Improve Participation of a Couple-Based Intervention to Address Women’s Antiretroviral Therapy Adherence in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. International Journal of Behavioral Medicine, 31(1), 75–84. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12529-023-10160-7

Bresser, Moniek, Erhardt, Rahel Milena, Shanaube, Kwame, Simwinga, Musonda, Mahlatsi, Palesa Agnes, Belus, Jennifer, Schaap, Albertus, Amstutz, Alain, Gachie, Thomas, Glass, Tracy Renée, Kangololo, Bxyn, John’Mota, Floyd, Sian, Katende, Bulemba, Klinkenberg, Eveline, Ayles, Helen, Reither, Klaus, & Ruperez, Maria. (2024). Evaluation of COVID-19 antigen rapid diagnostic tests for self-testing in Lesotho and Zambia. PLoS ONE, 19(2 February). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280105

Fernández, Lucia González, Yoon, Grace H., Firima, Emmanuel, Gupta, Ravi, Sematle, Mamoronts’ane Pauline, Khomolishoele, Makhebe, Molulela, Manthabiseng, Bane, Matumaole, Tlahani, Mosa, Lee, Tristan T., Chammartin, Frédérique, Gerber, Felix, Lejone, Thabo, Ayakaka, Irene, Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel, Amstutz, Alain, & Belus, Jennifer M. (2024). Prevalence of Mental Health and Substance use Problems and Awareness of Need for Services in Lesotho: Results from a Population-Based Survey. International Journal of Mental Health and Addiction. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-024-01309-w

Raeber, Fabian, Haldemann, Maria-Inés, Ray, Somidha, Huber, Jacqueline, Firima, Emmanuel, Fernandez, Lucia Gonzalez, Amstutz, Alain, Gerber, Felix, Labhardt, Niklaus D., & Belus, Jennifer M. (2024). Community-based models of care for adolescent and adult depression, suicidal behavior, anxiety, trauma, and substance use in Africa: a scoping review. Frontiers in Psychology, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2024.1241403

Firima, Emmanuel, Gonzalez, Lucia, Ursprung, Fabiola, Robinson, Elena, Huber, Jacqueline, Belus, Jennifer M., Raeber, Fabian, Gupta, Ravi, Deen, Gibrilla F., Amstutz, Alain, Leigh, Bailah, Weisser, Maja, Weisser, Maja, & Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel. (2023). Community-based models of care for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus among non-pregnant adults in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review. PLoS ONE, 18(11 November). https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0278353

Simwinga, Musonda, Mahlatsi, Palesa A., Molale, Masemote, Witola, Gracious, Mshanga, Isaac, Katende, Bulemba, Amstutz, Alain, Reither, Klaus, Shanaube, Kwame, Motlomelo, Masetsibi, Bond, Virginia, & Belus, Jennifer M. (2023). Facilitators and barriers to COVID-19 testing in community and clinical settings: Lessons learned from Lesotho and Zambia [Journal-article]. PLOS Global Public Health, 3(10), e0002430. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pgph.0002430

Anvari, M. S., Belus, J. M., Regenauer, K. S., Myers, B., Joska, J., & Magidson, J. F. (2023). The combination of HIV and alcohol use internalized stigmas are associated with greater symptoms of depression in a South African sample living with HIV. Stigma Health, 7(3), 370–373. https://doi.org/10.1037/sah0000394

Belus, J. M., Tralka, H., Satinsky, E. N., Seitz-Brown, C.J., Daughters, S. B., & Magidson, J. F. (2023). Substance Use Outcomes Among Sexual and Gender Minority Individuals Living with HIV Following Residential Substance Use Treatment in Washington, DC. Alcoholism Treatment Quarterly, 41(4), 373–385. https://doi.org/10.1080/07347324.2023.2241419

Bresser, M., Erhardt, R. M., Shanaube, K., Simwinga, M., Mahlatsi, P. A., Belus, J., Schaap, A., Amstutz, A., Gachie, T., Glass, T. R., Kangolo, B., ’Mota, M. J., Floyd, S., Katende, B., Klinkenberg, E., Ayles, H., Reither, K., & Ruperez, M. (2022, December 23). Evaluation of Covid-19 Ag-RDTs self-testing in Lesotho and Zambia [Posted-content]. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.12.21.22283827

Belus JM, Bradley VD, van Heerden A, Msimango LI, Barnabas RV, & van Rooyen H. (2022). “I think it’s communication and trust and sharing everything”: Qualitative evidence for a model of healthy intimate relationships in Black women living with HIV and men in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Family Process, 61(4), 1507–1524. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12744

Belus JM, Muanido A, Cumbe VFJ, Manaca MN, & Wagenaar BH. (2022). Psychometric Validation of a Combined Assessment for Anxiety and Depression in Primary Care in Mozambique (CAD-MZ). Assessment, 29(8), 1890–1900. https://doi.org/10.1177/10731911211032285

Magidson JF, Rose AL, Regenauer KS, Brooke-Sumner C, Anvari MS, Jack HE, Johnson K, Belus JM, Joska J, Bassett IV, Sibeko G, & Myers B. (2022). “It’s all about asking from those who have walked the path”: Patient and stakeholder perspectives on how peers may shift substance use stigma in HIV care in South Africa. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 17(1), 52. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-022-00330-5

Firima, E., Gonzalez, L., Ursprung, F., Robinson, E., Huber, J., Belus, J. M., Raeber, F., Gupta, R., Deen, G. F., Amstutz, A., Leigh, B., Weisser, M., & Labhardt, N. D. (2022, November 17). Community-based models of care for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus among non-pregnant adults in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review [Posted-content]. Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory. https://doi.org/10.1101/2022.11.17.22282376

Belus JM, Rose AL, Andersen LS, Ciya N, Joska JA, Myers B, Safren SA, & Magidson JF. (2022). Adapting a Behavioral Intervention for Alcohol Use and HIV Medication Adherence for Lay Counselor Delivery in Cape Town, South Africa: A Case Series. Cognitive and Behavioral Practice, 29(2), 454–467. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cbpra.2020.10.003

Anvari, M. S., Belus, J. M., Kleinman, M. B., Seitz-Brown, C. J., Felton, J. W., Dean, D., Ciya, N., & Magidson, J. F. (2022). How to incorporate lived experience into evidence-based interventions: assessing fidelity for peer-delivered substance use interventions in local and global resource-limited settings. Translational Issues in Psychological Science, 8(1), 153–163. https://doi.org/10.1037/tps0000305

Belus, J. M., Joska, J. A., Bronsteyn, Y., Rose, A. L., Andersen, L. S., Regenauer, K. S., Myers, B., Hahn, J. A., Orrell, C., Safren, S. A., & Magidson, J. F. (2022). Gender moderates results of a randomized clinical trial for the khanya intervention for substance use and ART adherence in HIV care in South Africa. AIDS and Behavior, 26(11), 3630–3641. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-022-03765-8

Belus, J. M., Regenauer, K. S., Hutman, E., Rose, A. L., Burnhams, W., Andersen, L. S., Myers, B., Joska, J. A., & Magidson, J. F. (2022). Substance use referral, treatment utilization, and patient costs associated with problematic substance use in people living with HIV in Cape Town, South Africa. Drug Alcohol Depend Rep, 2, 100035. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.dadr.2022.100035

Belus, J. M., van Heerden, A., van Rooyen, H., Bradley, V. D., Magidson, J. F., Hines, A. C., & Barnabas, R. V. (2022). Supporting Treatment for Anti-Retroviral Therapy (START) together: protocol for a pilot, randomized, couple-based intervention to promote women’s ART adherence and men’s engagement in HIV care in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Contemp Clin Trials Commun, 29, 100970. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.conctc.2022.100970

Brown, J. A., Nsakala, B. L., Mokhele, K., Rakuoane, I., Muhairwe, J., Glass, T. R., Amstutz, A., Tschumi, N., Belus, J. M., Klimkait, T., & Labhardt, N. D. (2022). Dolutegravir in real life: self-reported mental and physical health outcomes after transitioning from efavirenz- to dolutegravir-based antiretroviral therapy in a prospective cohort study in Lesotho. HIV Medicine, 24(2), 153–162. https://doi.org/10.1111/hiv.13352

Firima, Emmanuel, Gonzalez, Lucia, Huber, Jacqueline, Belus, Jennifer M., Raeber, Fabian, Gupta, Ravi, Mokhohlane, Joalane, Mphunyane, Madavida, Amstutz, Alain, & Labhardt, Niklaus Daniel. (2022). Community-based models of care for management of type 2 diabetes mellitus among non-pregnant adults in sub-Saharan Africa: a scoping review protocol. F1000Research, 10, 535. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.52114.2

Magidson JF, Belus JM, Seitz-Brown CJ, Tralka H, Safren SA, & Daughters SB. (2022). Act Healthy: A Randomized Clinical Trial Evaluating a Behavioral Activation Intervention to Address Substance Use and Medication Adherence Among Low-Income, Black/African American Individuals Living with HIV/AIDS. AIDS and Behavior, 26(1), 102–115. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03354-1

Regenauer, K. S., Kleinman, M. B., Belus, J. M., Myers, B., Joska, J. A., & Magidson, J. F. (2022). Effects of intersecting internalized stigmas and avoidance on HIV and alcohol-related outcomes among people living with HIV in South Africa. Drug and Alcohol Dependence, 233, 109364. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.drugalcdep.2022.109364

Rose, A. L., Belus, J. M., Hines, A. C., Barrie, I., Regenauer, K. S., Andersen, L. S., Joska, J. A., Ciya, N., Ndamase, S., Myers, B., Safren, S. A., & Magidson, J. F. (2022). Patient and provider perceptions of a peer-delivered intervention (‘Khanya’) to improve anti-retroviral adherence and substance use in South Africa: a mixed methods analysis. Glob Ment Health (Camb), 9, 439–447. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2022.47

Rose, A. L., Belus, J. M., Ma, T., Lee, J. S., Wan, C., De Los Reyes, A., Joska, J. A., Andersen, L. S., Myers, B., & Magidson, J. F. (2022). The relationship between harmful alcohol use and antiretroviral non-adherence in people accessing HIV treatment in Cape Town, South Africa: an event-level analysis. AIDS and Behavior, 26(6), 2055–2066. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-021-03552-x

Tschumi, N., Lerotholi, M., Kopo, M., Kao, M., Lukau, B., Nsakala, B., Chejane, N., Motaboli, L., Lee, T., Barnabas, R., Shapiro, A. E., van Heerden, A., Lejone, T. I., Amstutz, A., Brown, J. A., Heitner, J., Belus, J. M., Chammartin, F., & Labhardt, N. D. (2022). Assessment of a viral load result-triggered automated differentiated service delivery model for people taking ART in Lesotho (the VITAL study): study protocol of a cluster-randomized trial. Plos One, 17(5), e0268100. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0268100

Gonzalez Fernandez L., Firima E., Huber J., Raeber F., Amstutz A., Gupta R., Mokhohlane J., Belus J.M., & Labhardt N.D. (2021). Community-based care models for arterial hypertension management in non-pregnant adults in sub-Saharan Africa: A scoping review protocol. F1000Research, 10. https://doi.org/10.12688/f1000research.51929.1

Mgweba-Bewana L, Belus JM, Ipser J, Magidson JF, & Joska JA. (2021). Examining the association of alcohol use and psychotropic medication adherence among women with severe mental illness in South Africa. Psychiatry Research, 304, 114127. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psychres.2021.114127

Magidson JF, Joska JA, Belus JM, Andersen LS, Regenauer KS, Rose AL, Myers B, Majokweni S, O’Cleirigh C, & Safren SA. (2021). Project Khanya: results from a pilot randomized type 1 hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of a peer-delivered behavioural intervention for ART adherence and substance use in HIV care in South Africa. Journal of the International AIDS Society, 24(S2), e25720. https://doi.org/10.1002/jia2.25720

Wiltsey Stirman, S., Shields, N., Deloriea, J., Landy, M. S. H., Belus, J. M., Maslej, M. M., & Monson, C. M. (2021, May 21). A randomized controlled dismantling trial of post-workshop consultation strategies to increase effectiveness and fidelity to an evidence-based psychotherapy for posttraumatic stress disorder [Posted-content]. Ryerson University Library and Archives. https://doi.org/10.32920/14641623

Belus JM, Rose AL, Andersen LS, Joska JA, Myers B, Regenauer KS, Safren SA, & Magidson JF. (2021). The role of reward and reinforcement in understanding alcohol use among adults living with HIV in South Africa. Psychology of Addictive Behaviors, 35(4), 424–431. https://doi.org/10.1037/adb0000728

Magidson JF, Joska JA, Myers B, Belus JM, Regenauer KS, Andersen LS, Majokweni S, O’Cleirigh C, & Safren SA. (2020). Project Khanya: a randomized, hybrid effectiveness-implementation trial of a peer-delivered behavioral intervention for ART adherence and substance use in Cape Town, South Africa. Implementation Science Communications, 1(1). https://doi.org/10.1186/s43058-020-00004-w

Belus JM, Baucom DH, & Wechsberg WM. (2020). Individual and Relationship Predictors of Couple-Level Sexual Concurrency in Heterosexual South African Couples. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 49(3), 999–1015. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10508-019-1444-3

Belus J.M. (2020). Hand in Hand: An Intervention Taking Heterosexual Couples Through the HIV Care Cascade Together. Sexuality Research and Social Policy, 17(1), 137–148. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13178-018-0371-8

Belus JM, Kline T, Carney T, Myers B, & Wechsberg WM. (2020). Measuring relationship functioning in South African couples: a strategy for improving HIV prevention efforts. Sexual and Relationship Therapy, 35(1), 2–14. https://doi.org/10.1080/14681994.2017.1419559

Wagenaar BH, Hammett WH, Jackson C, Atkins DL, Belus JM, & Kemp CG. (2020). Implementation outcomes and strategies for depression interventions in low- And middle-income countries: A systematic review. Global Mental Health, 7, e7. https://doi.org/10.1017/gmh.2020.1

Belus JM, Cholera R, Miller WC, Bassett J, & Gaynes BN. (2019). Psychiatric Comorbidity of Unipolar Mood, Anxiety, and Trauma Disorders Prior to HIV Testing and the Effect on Linkage to Care Among HIV-Infected Adults in South Africa. AIDS and Behavior, 23(12), 3444–3451. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-019-02586-6

Belus JM, Baucom DH, Carney T, Carrino EA, & Wechsberg WM. (2019). A south African couple-based HIV prevention program: Preliminary evidence of the long-term effects. Journal of the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care, 30(6), 648–657. https://doi.org/10.1097/JNC.0000000000000074

Belus J.M., Pentel K.Z., Cohen M.J., Fischer M.S., & Baucom D.H. (2019). Staying Connected: An Examination of Relationship Maintenance Behaviors in Long-Distance Relationships. Marriage and Family Review, 55(1), 78–98. https://doi.org/10.1080/01494929.2018.1458004

Belus J.M., Baucom D.H., Carney T., Carrino E., & Wechsberg W.M. (2018). A Model of Heterosexual Adaptive Relationship Functioning in South Africa: Implications for HIV Prevention Interventions. International Journal of Sexual Health, 30(4), 398–411. https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2018.1530324

Baucom DH, Fischer MS, Worrell M, Corrie S, Belus JM, Molyva E, & Boeding SE. (2018). Couple-based intervention for depression: An effectiveness study in the national health service in England. Family Process, 57(2), 275–292. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12332

Baucom D.H., Belus J.M., Stanton S., & Epstein N.B. (2018). Treating Relationship Distress. In The Cambridge Handbook of Personal Relationships, Second Edition (pp. 538–550). Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/9781316417867.041

Wechsberg WM, van der Horst C, Ndirangu J, Doherty IA, Kline T, Browne FA, Belus JM, Nance R, & Zule WA. (2017). Seek, test, treat: Substance-using women in the HIV treatment cascade in South Africa. Addiction Science and Clinical Practice, 12(1), 12. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13722-017-0077-x

Wanklyn S.G., Belus J.M., Pukay-Martin N.D., Cyr K.S., Girard T.A., & Monson C.M. (2016). Trauma types as differential predictors of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), major depressive disorder (MDD), and their comorbidity. Canadian Journal of Behavioural Science, 48(4), 296–305. https://doi.org/10.1037/cbs0000056

Baucom DH, Belus JM, Adelman CB, Fischer MS, & Paprocki C. (2014). Couple-based interventions for psychopathology: A renewed direction for the field. Family Process, 53(3), 445–461. https://doi.org/10.1111/famp.12075

Belus, J. M., Wanklyn, S. G., Iverson, K. M., Pukay-Martin, N. D., Langhinrichsen-Rohling, J., & Monson, C. M. (2014). Do Anger and Jealousy Mediate the Relationship Between Adult Attachment Styles and Intimate Violence Perpetration? [Journal-article]. Partner Abuse, 5(4), 388–406. https://doi.org/10.1891/1946-6560.5.4.388

Belus JM, Baucom DH, & Abramowitz JS. (2014). The effect of a couple-based treatment for OCD on intimate partners. Journal of Behavior Therapy and Experimental Psychiatry, 45(4), 484–488. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbtep.2014.07.001

Shnaider P., Belus J.M., Vorstenbosch V., Monson C.M., & Langhinrichsen-Rohling J. (2014). The Mediating Role of Attributions in the Association Between Intimate Relationship Distress and Depressive Symptoms in a Dating Sample of Undergraduate Students. The Family Journal, 22(2), 162–169. https://doi.org/10.1177/1066480713513548

Wiltsey Stirman S, Shields N, Deloriea J, Landy MS, Belus JM, Maslej MM, & Monson CM. (2013). A randomized controlled dismantling trial of post-workshop consultation strategies to increase effectiveness and fidelity to an evidence-based psychotherapy for Posttraumatic stress disorder. Implementation Science, 8(1), 82. https://doi.org/10.1186/1748-5908-8-82

Belus J.M., Brown-Bowers A., & Monson C.M. (2012). Thinking About Your Thoughts: Investigating Different Cognitive Change Strategies. Current Psychology, 31(4), 423–432. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12144-012-9155-0