UH3AI169655

Multilevel strategies to understand and modify the role of structural and environmental context on HIV inequities for sexual and gender minorities of color - project summary/abstract. Black, Latino/a/e/x, and multiracial (BLM) sexual and gender minorities who have sex with men (SGMSM) in the U.S. continue to experience a high and disproportionate burden of HIV, particularly younger BLM SGMSM for whom HIV incidence continues to rise despite advances in HIV prevention. Evidence suggests that differences in individual risk behaviors do not account for HIV inequities, and underscore the need to move beyond models of individual-level risk factors to identify and intervene upon the socio-structural factors that create and maintain inequitable risk environments.

However, much of the research to date is limited in scope and focuses individual-level risk or on cross-sectional HIV prevalence, which limits the ability to treat socio-structural factors as dynamic or to investigate the environments within which risk behaviors occur. We are submitting this application in response to RFA-AI-21-018 limited interaction targeted epidemiology to advance HIV prevention (UG3/UH3). We propose to enroll a cohort of approximately 5,500 BLM SGMSM ages 16 and older in the U.S. and Puerto Rico who are at high risk for HIV infection.

We will use a combined approach to recruitment (sexual networking apps, social media, and other digital recruitment techniques) that is adaptive to known shifts in digital technology. Participants will complete a survey and home-based sampling for lab-based HIV testing at enrollment and annually thereafter for three years and an ecological momentary assessment (EMA) for six weeks after enrollment. Concordant with study enrollment, we will develop novel metrics to quantify socio-structural factors (state-level policy and social climate indicators) that create intersectional oppression for BLM SGMSM, specifically structural racism, anti-LGBTQ stigma, and restrictive HIV-related healthcare (AIM 1A). We will subsequently utilize the newly developed metrics from AIM 1A along with local socio-structural factors (local-level HIV prevalence and socioeconomic indicators) and baseline and EMA data to test the inequitable risk environments hypothesis to understand the role of state and local socio-structural risk factors in HIV risk—this hypothesis will specifically test both the impact of socio-structural factors on daily exposure to intersectional stigma and the interaction of socio-structural risk with individual behaviors on undiagnosed HIV infection at baseline (AIM 2).

These data will also be used to test a longitudinal model of mechanisms through which state and local socio-structural factors directly and indirectly influence HIV seroconversion and access to emerging HIV prevention technologies (e.g., emerging PrEP modalities) (AIM 3). Study findings will be systematically reviewed and translated into guidelines for ending the HIV epidemic-related public health policy and community-level interventions to reduce HIV inequities (AIM 1B). Developing and testing a socio-structural model of HIV risk has strong potential to move the field beyond individually-focused models of risk and improve the next generation of HIV prevention interventions aimed at reducing disparities for this population.

Rutgers The State University Of New Jersey

TO ASSIST PUBLIC AND PRIVATE NONPROFIT INSTITUTIONS AND INDIVIDUALS TO ESTABLISH, EXPAND AND IMPROVE BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH AND RESEARCH TRAINING IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS, TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS. TO ASSIST PUBLIC, PRIVATE AND COMMERCIAL INSTITUTIONS TO CONDUCT DEVELOPMENTAL RESEARCH, TO PRODUCE AND TEST RESEARCH MATERIALS, TO PROVIDE RESEARCH SERVICES AS REQUIRED BY THE AGENCY FOR PROGRAMS IN INFECTIOUS DISEASES, AND CONTROLLING DISEASE CAUSED BY INFECTIOUS OR PARASITIC AGENTS, ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES AND RELATED AREAS. PROJECTS RANGE FROM STUDIES OF MICROBIAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANTIGENIC STRUCTURE TO COLLABORATIVE TRIALS OF EXPERIMENTAL DRUGS AND VACCINES, MECHANISMS OF RESISTANCE TO ANTIBIOTICS AS WELL AS RESEARCH DEALING WITH EPIDEMIOLOGICAL OBSERVATIONS IN HOSPITALIZED PATIENTS OR COMMUNITY POPULATIONS AND PROGRESS IN ALLERGIC AND IMMUNOLOGIC DISEASES. BECAUSE OF THIS DUAL FOCUS, THE PROGRAM ENCOMPASSES BOTH BASIC RESEARCH AND CLINICAL RESEARCH. SMALL BUSINESS INNOVATION RESEARCH (SBIR) PROGRAM EXPANDS AND IMPROVES PRIVATE SECTOR PARTICIPATION IN BIOMEDICAL RESEARCH. THE SBIR PROGRAM INTENDS TO INCREASE AND FACILITATE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, TO INCREASE SMALL BUSINESS PARTICIPATION IN FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. THE SMALL BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER (STTR) PROGRAM STIMULATES AND FOSTERS SCIENTIFIC AND TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION THROUGH COOPERATIVE RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT CARRIED OUT BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO FOSTER TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER BETWEEN SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS, TO INCREASE PRIVATE SECTOR COMMERCIALIZATION OF INNOVATIONS DERIVED FROM FEDERAL RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, AND TO FOSTER AND ENCOURAGE PARTICIPATION OF SOCIALLY AND ECONOMICALLY DISADVANTAGED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS AND WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS CONCERNS IN TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATION. RESEARCH CAREER DEVELOPMENT AWARDS SUPPORT THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCIENTISTS DURING THE FORMATIVE STAGES OF THEIR CAREERS. INDIVIDUAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS (NRSAS) ARE MADE DIRECTLY TO APPROVE APPLICANTS FOR RESEARCH TRAINING IN SPECIFIED BIOMEDICAL SHORTAGE AREAS. IN ADDITION, INSTITUTIONAL NATIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE AWARDS ARE MADE TO ENABLE INSTITUTIONS TO SELECT AND MAKE AWARDS TO INDIVIDUALS TO RECEIVE TRAINING UNDER THE AEGIS OF THEIR INSTITUTIONAL PROGRAM.

93.279 - Drug Abuse and Addiction Research Programs

National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) [HHS - NIH]

National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) [HHS - NIH]

Newark, New Jersey 071073001 United States

Single Zip Code

Change of Recipient Organization (Type 7 Parent Clinical Trial Optional) (PA-24-254)

Termination This cooperative agreement was reported as terminated by the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) in July 2025. See All
Amendment Since initial award the total obligations have increased 248% from $1,168,431 to $4,065,574.