People and Place: How geography affects HIV care and substance use in Los Angeles
Official title: People and Place: Impacts on Substance Use and HIV Outcomes in Los Angeles
Funded at University of California Los Angeles · NIH-11571598 · Data updated 2026-11-12
Aims to understand how where you live in LA affects HIV care and substance use, and to adapt a proven intervention to help PLWH who use substances connect with better care.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | University of California Los Angeles NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (Los Angeles, United States) |
| Project start | September 15, 2024 |
| Project end | July 31, 2029 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $157,481 |
| NIH project number | 3R01DA061345-03S1 |
| Project ID | NIH-11571598 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adults living with HIV in the Los Angeles area who use substances and face geographic or transportation barriers to care.
✕Less likely to help
Individuals not currently engaged with HIV or substance-use care or those outside the Los Angeles area may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This project looks at how the locations of HIV and substance-use services, transportation options, and relationships with care staff influence whether people living with HIV who use substances access and stick with care in Los Angeles. It plans to adapt the LINK-LA program, an evidence-based approach, to the local setting, using lessons from prior studies and spatial analyses. The study involves collecting information from participants about their care journeys, geographies, and interactions with case managers to identify barriers and facilitators. By tailoring care navigation to an urban, geographically dispersed landscape, the work may improve access to HIV treatment and substance-use services for PLWH. Results could guide policies and programs to shape patient-centered, geographically aware care in large cities.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the project could make it easier for people with HIV who use substances to access consistent, person-centered care.
How similar studies have gone: Preliminary work and prior studies suggest that space, transport, and patient–staff alignment influence care access; adapting LINK-LA could extend these benefits.
Where this research is happening
-
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Gorbach, Pamina Mae — University of California Los Angeles
- Study coordinator: Gorbach, Pamina Mae
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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.