# Examining the effects of neighborhood factors and geography on racial/ethnic disparities on achieving sustained viral suppression

> **NIH NIH F31** · FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $34,577

## Abstract

Project Summary/Abstract
 The risk of HIV transmission and disease progression to AIDS decreases among people living with HIV
(PLHIV) that have achieved viral suppression. Prior studies have measured the last viral load in a year to
assess viral suppression. However, this single measurement only provides viral suppression status at a single
point in time and does not indicate sustained viral suppression throughout a year (all viral load tests within a
year <200 copies/mL). Particularly, PLHIV belonging to racial/ethnic minority groups are challenged by barriers
to achieving and maintaining viral suppression. Some of these barriers are related to physical and social
neighborhood factors such as living in economically deprived neighborhoods. There has been little research to
date about the role of neighborhood factors in achieving sustained viral suppression. Therefore, the objective
of this F31 study is to assess the contribution of neighborhood, geographic and distance factors on
racial/ethnic disparities in sustained viral suppression. To address this objective, secondary data analysis will
be conducted using administrative data from the Miami-Dade County Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program, which
provides HIV care and treatment to approximately 9,600 underserved and uninsured minority PLHIV. This
proposed research study aims to (1) identify individual and neighborhood level factors that are associated with
residing in geographic hotspots of low sustained viral suppression, (2) identify the moderating effect of
neighborhood disadvantage on the association between race/ethnicity and sustained viral suppression, and (3)
examine the moderating effect of race/ethnicity on the association between sustained viral suppression and
travel time and distance to HIV case management sites and AIDS Drug Assistance Program pharmacies. The
central hypothesis is that neighborhood disadvantage and distance to HIV care facility will contribute to
racial/ethnic disparities in achieving sustained viral suppression. The proposed study will use multi-level mixed
effects modeling to estimate the association between individual and neighborhood factors and sustained viral
suppression and geographic information system tools to identify hotspots of sustained viral suppression and to
determine travel time and distance to HIV care facilities. In order to successfully implement this proposed study
and launch the research career of a young minority investigator, training in the following 5 areas are proposed:
(1) HIV care and treatment disparities, (2) neighborhood and geographic determinants of HIV disparities, (3)
multilevel mixed modeling, (4) spatial statistics, and (5) responsible conduct of research and professional
development (grant and scientific writing). This study and training experience will facilitate the applicant’s
development towards becoming an independent health disparities researcher and provide essential skills to
help her successfully compete for a post-doctoral ...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10158015
- **Project number:** 5F31MD015234-02
- **Recipient organization:** FLORIDA INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Rahel Dawit
- **Activity code:** F31 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $34,577
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2020-04-28 → 2022-01-21

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10158015

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10158015, Examining the effects of neighborhood factors and geography on racial/ethnic disparities on achieving sustained viral suppression (5F31MD015234-02). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-06-11 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10158015. Licensed CC0.

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