# Linking Refugees to HIV Clinical Care in Uganda

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON · 2020 · $72,038

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
Background: There are an estimated 3.4 million refugees living in sub-Saharan Africa, a region of the world
which hosts 71% of the global population living with HIV. Displaced for an average of 17 years, refugees are a
vulnerable population at risk of exposure to HIV due to violence and persecution. With competing survival
needs, language and cultural barriers, and disrupted social networks, refugees face unique challenges
accessing HIV care. HIV prevalence in refugee settlements in sub-Saharan Africa is often unknown and HIV
research in this population is limited. Candidate: During my research fellowship, I conducted a clinic-based
routine HIV testing study in Nakivale Refugee Settlement in Uganda demonstrating that only 54% of newly
diagnosed HIV-infected clients linked to care. I am applying for a K23 Career Development Award to acquire
the skills to become an independent investigator focused on understanding linkage to HIV care for refugees
and developing interventions to improve engagement in care for this unique population. Mentoring: Dr. Ingrid
Bassett (Mentor) is an expert on linkage to HIV care in resource-limited settings and winner of the Harvard
Medical School Young Mentor Award. I will also be guided by Co-Mentors, Dr. Paul Spiegel (the Deputy
Director of the Division of Programme Support and Management at the United Nations High Commissioner for
Refugees [UNCHR], expert in the structural dimensions of refugee health), Dr. Edgar Mulogo (HIV researcher,
faculty in Uganda), and Dr. Laura Bogart (expert in behavioral science, HIV intervention research, and
qualitative methods). Committed advisors include Dr. Richard Mollica (Director of the Harvard Program in
Refugee Trauma), Dr. Alexander Tsai (psychiatrist, expert on psychosocial intervention research for HIV-
infected people in Uganda), Dr. Julius Kasozi (UNHCR in Uganda, expert in refugee health and Uganda health
policy), Dr. Michael VanRooyen (Director of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative), Dr. Norma Ware (qualitative
methods), and Dr. Robert Parker (biostatistics, HIV trial design). Research: Within the social-ecological
framework, I will 1) use qualitative methods to understand barriers to HIV care and means to overcome
barriers for refugees in Nakivale; 2) prospectively enroll a cohort of HIV-infected refugees to assess which
social-ecological factors correlate with failure to link to HIV care in Nakivale; and 3) use intervention mapping
methodology to develop, implement, and evaluate a pilot intervention to improve linkage to HIV care in
Nakivale. Training: The research is supported by training in health behavior theory and ecologic context of
HIV care in resource-limited settings with an in-depth focus on mental health, analytic techniques including
survey and geographic information system methods, and intervention development. The project will provide
training and pilot data needed to develop an R01 application for a randomized HIV linkage intervention trial...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10058757
- **Project number:** 3K23MH108440-05S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON
- **Principal Investigator:** Kelli Nicole O'Laughlin
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $72,038
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2016-06-20 → 2021-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10058757

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10058757, Linking Refugees to HIV Clinical Care in Uganda (3K23MH108440-05S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10058757. Licensed CC0.

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