How social disruption and stigma affect HIV care for displaced gay and bisexual men in Ukraine
Social network disruption, stigma, and HIV transmission and care dynamics among forcibly displaced MSM in Ukraine
This project looks at how being forced to move and facing stigma changes HIV risk and access to care for men who have sex with men in Ukraine.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California-Irvine NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Irvine, United States) |
| Project ID | NIH-11379740 on NIH RePORTER |
What this research studies
You would be part of a group of 1,200 men who have sex with men, half of whom were internally displaced, enrolled in Kyiv and Lviv. Researchers will use a peer-referral approach to map social networks and collect surveys about behavior, stigma, and access to services. Blood samples will be taken from people living with HIV to measure viral load and better understand treatment gaps. The goal is to compare displaced and local communities to find where testing, treatment, and support are breaking down.
Who could benefit from this research
Good fit: Ideal participants are men in Ukraine who have sex with men, including those internally displaced by the war and local residents in Kyiv and Lviv.
Not a fit: People who are not men who have sex with men, not living in Ukraine, or not affected by displacement are unlikely to benefit directly from this work.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: Results could help design outreach, testing, and treatment programs that better reach displaced men who have sex with men and reduce HIV spread.
How similar studies have performed: Previous research shows social networks and stigma influence HIV care, but few studies have focused on forcibly displaced men who have sex with men in Ukraine, so this applies known ideas to a new and urgent setting.
Where this research is happening
Irvine, United States
- University of California-Irvine — Irvine, United States (Active)
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Vasylyeva, Tetyana — University of California-Irvine
- Study coordinator: Vasylyeva, Tetyana
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.