# Multilevel Influences on HIV and Substance Use in a YMSM cohort

> **NIH NIH U01** · NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY · 2022 · $2,739,615

## Abstract

In this competing renewal, we propose to continue the largest cohort study of young men who have sex
with men (YMSM) ever conducted. The RADAR study was launched in 2014 to provide critical insights into risk
and protective factors for HIV and drug use, and to identify facilitators and barriers to the implementation of an
effective strategy to end the epidemic. RADAR is reflective of the US HIV epidemic; it focuses on the ages with
the highest HIV incidence, has exceptional representation of minority HIV disparity groups (38% black, 30%
Latino), and is located in Chicago, an urban epicenter of the HIV and drug epidemics (i.e., Cook County was
4th in HIV incidence-2017). During our initial grant period, we were extremely productive in recruitment
(N>1,200), retention (>80%), scientific outputs (40+ publications), training future scholars, and serving as a
platform for innovative research (25+ connected studies; 7 concepts via NIDA C3PNO consortium).
 YMSM account for nearly 70% of all new HIV diagnoses among adolescents and young adults each
year in the U.S. While all other risk groups have declining incidence, dramatic increases continue among
YMSM of color. In an era of evolving prevention and treatment options, YMSM still show insufficient PrEP
utilization and fall off the HIV care cascade at high rates. Substance use and minority stressors, with
associated social, structural, and biological processes, are key factors that drive disparities. In response to
RFA-DA-20-005 we propose a sophisticated multilevel research design, in which we will enhance the cohort in
2020 with 300 new 16-20 year olds and continue to follow existing cohort members. In this renewal, we will
answer critical new questions about the HIV and substance use epidemics in YMSM. First (Aim 1), we will
keep a pulse on emerging trends in drug use, HIV risk/preventive behaviors, and care continuum engagement.
We will chart YMSM developmental trajectories of drug use into adulthood, with a novel focus on how use
trajectories and transitions are associated with drug consequences. Further, enrollment of multiple samples of
16-20 year olds (2008, 2011, 2015, 2020) allows us to disentangle historical (e.g., advent of PrEP; marijuana
legalization) and developmental changes in substance use, HIV risk and care. Next (Aim 2), we will continue to
enroll cohort members’ new serious partners. We will extend our prior work by longitudinally examining the key
role that dyadic processes play in the development of substance use problems and HIV risk behaviors and
transmission among coupled YMSM. Third (Aim 3), we will build on our provocative findings of high levels of
systemic inflammation in the RADAR cohort regardless of HIV status by collecting pathogenic biomarkers of
substance use to begin forecasting later-life morbidities for HIV+ and HIV- YMSM. Finally (Aim 4), RADAR will
continue to add specimens and data to our well-characterized biobehavioral repository to provide a platform for
high...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10348186
- **Project number:** 5U01DA036939-08
- **Recipient organization:** NORTHWESTERN UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Brian Mustanski
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $2,739,615
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2014-04-15 → 2025-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10348186

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10348186, Multilevel Influences on HIV and Substance Use in a YMSM cohort (5U01DA036939-08). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-23 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10348186. Licensed CC0.

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