Addressing HIV in highest risk sexual and gender minorities (R34 Clinical Trial Required)

This grant addresses the issue of HIV in sexual and gender minorities who are at highest risk. The grant recognizes the need to incorporate substance use more effectively into preventative interventions and care engagement for this demographic. This includes paying careful attention to interventions like long-acting PrEP.

Furthermore, the grant acknowledges the significance of certain social factors on health. For instance, homelessness, involvement in the criminal justice system, and other variables can disproportionately affect HIV and substance abuse problems among sexual and gender minorities. These social determinants of health, therefore, must be critically addressed.

Additionally, the changing definitions of sexual minority status suggests that more efforts are needed to eradicate stigma from health care providers and improve outreach. These changes and efforts are critical for integration into interventions.

This initiative will address these identified areas of concern and provide support for essential research. These research areas include epidemiology, intervention, and implementation, particularly focusing on HIV in conjunction with other comorbidities. These associated comorbidities can include other sexually transmitted infections, hepatitis C virus, and psychiatric disorders. The approach emphasizes the understanding of HIV as a syndemic, effectively tackling its multi-layered and interconnected aspects.