Helping Black gay and bisexual men with HIV reconnect to care
Community-Engage?Modeling?and Implementation Science to Develop Re-Linkage Interventions for Black Men who have Sex with Men with HIV
This project uses computer simulations together with community interviews to design better ways for Black men who have sex with men with HIV to get back into and stay in care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R21 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of Chicago NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Chicago, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11178734 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of work that combines local health data, interviews, and focus groups with computer-based simulations to explore which outreach and support approaches might help people re-link to HIV care. The team will talk with community members and public health partners to understand real-life barriers like housing, jobs, and criminal justice issues. Those insights will be built into virtual models to compare different approaches without putting people at risk. Promising strategies from the models could be piloted locally to see what actually helps people return to care.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are Black men who have sex with men living with HIV — especially those who have experienced gaps in care or challenges such as housing instability, unemployment, or criminal justice involvement, primarily in the Chicago area.
Not a fit: People without HIV, those who are not Black men who have sex with men, or individuals already consistently engaged in HIV care are unlikely to see direct benefit from participating.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, this could lead to targeted programs that make it easier for Black men who have sex with men to reconnect with HIV care, stay virally suppressed, and reduce onward transmission.
How similar studies have performed: Some programs addressing housing, navigation, and outreach have improved care retention, but combining community input with agent-based computer modeling to plan re-linkage strategies is a newer approach.
Where this research is happening
Chicago, United States
- University of Chicago — Chicago, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Hotton, Anna — University of Chicago
- Study coordinator: Hotton, Anna
About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page below.