# Impact of Social Cohesion and Social Capital in PrEP Uptake and Adherence Among Transwomen of Color

> **NIH NIH R01** · COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES · 2020 · $562,027

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY
This project seeks to use real-time geospatial methods to investigate relationships between social cohesion
and social capital within Global Positioning System (GPS)-defined activity space neighborhoods and social
networks in relation to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and adherence cross-sectionally and
longitudinally among transgender women (TW) of color (TWOC) in the New York City metropolitan statistical
area (MSA) followed over two years. We will recruit 250 TWOC in the proposed The N2 Study: Transgender
Women's Neighborhood and Networks Cohort Study to address the aims of the research. Eligibility
requirements include: identifying as a transgender woman (individuals who were assigned a male sex at birth
who identify as women, female, trans women, trans female, male-to-female or another diverse trans feminine
gender identity on the spectrum) of color; HIV-seronegative; being 18 to 55 years old; residing in the New York
City MSA; self-report no plans to move outside of the New York City metropolitan area in the next two years;
self-reporting no restrictions to usual physical activity; and self-report willingness to carry a small GPS device
for two-weeks at five points over the course of two years. Participants will wear the GPS device following
protocols used in our previous feasibility research projects, including studies among TW. In this longitudinal
study, six months after completing the initial 2-week GPS protocol, participants will carry the GPS device for an
additional 2-weeks every six-months over the two-year study period—for a total of five times. Multiple GPS
measures and multiple measures of social networks (at different time points) can better capture the breadth of
people's exposure to neighborhood-level factors and dynamics in social networks. Also, GPS activity space
environment and social networks data at baseline could potentially influence PrEP outcomes over time,
providing a clear temporal ordering and an ability to consider potential time-lags. The proposed study will be
the largest GPS study of HIV disparities in any transgender population and presents a remarkable opportunity
to study environmental influences on HIV. Findings from the proposed research will impact HIV prevention
intervention activities. First, the project will inform specific neighborhood-level policy interventions. For
example, increased community efforts through increased social cohesion in neighborhoods may be an HIV
prevention intervention that can reduce HIV health disparities. Second, from the GPS dataset we will know the
travel patterns of TW and therefore be able to identify optimal geographic locations for HIV prevention
interventions. This will advance the literature given that such interventions are seldom geographically targeted.
Third, examining changes in spatial mobility (i.e. activity spaces) over time will be useful in knowing whether
the risks of particular spaces change or remain constant because different n...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10136366
- **Project number:** 7R01MD013554-03
- **Recipient organization:** COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HEALTH SCIENCES
- **Principal Investigator:** Dustin T Duncan
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $562,027
- **Award type:** 7
- **Project period:** 2018-09-11 → 2023-04-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10136366

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10136366, Impact of Social Cohesion and Social Capital in PrEP Uptake and Adherence Among Transwomen of Color (7R01MD013554-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10136366. Licensed CC0.

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