# Increasing engagement and improving HIV care outcomes via stigma reduction in an online social networking intervention among racially diverse young men who have sex with men and transgender women

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $100,152

## Abstract

Project Summary / Abstract of Funded Parent Project
Abstract
Multiple stigmas related to sexuality, race, and HIV infection negatively impact HIV testing, engagement in HIV
care, and consistent viral suppression (VS) among young Black or Latino men who have sex with men and
transgender women (YBLMT). At present, few interventions have addressed the effects of intersectional stigma
among HIV-infected and uninfected populations. In response to RFA-MH-18-606, this study tests whether an
online intervention tailored for intersectional stigma amelioration can elicit online social support, promote
intervention engagement, and mitigate the impact of multiple stigmas on HIV-related outcomes. We will recruit
and enroll 1,050 young (ages 15-29), racially and ethnically diverse men who have sex with men and
transgender women affected by HIV across the United States. Using a HIV-status stratified randomized trial
design, participants will be assigned into one of three conditions (information-only control, a researcher-driven
social network intervention, or a peer-driven social network intervention). Behavioral assessments will occur at
baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months; biomarkers (viral load) are scheduled for baseline, 6 and 12 months. The
primary outcome is stratified by HIV status and defined as successful engagement in care (consistent VS for
HIV-positive participants and routine testing for HIV-negative participants).

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10149780
- **Project number:** 3R01MD013623-03S1
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Jose Arturo Bauermeister
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $100,152
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2018-08-16 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10149780

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10149780, Increasing engagement and improving HIV care outcomes via stigma reduction in an online social networking intervention among racially diverse young men who have sex with men and transgender women (3R01MD013623-03S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-24 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10149780. Licensed CC0.

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