# Advancing intersectional discrimination measures for HIV-related health disparities research

> **NIH NIH R21** · DREXEL UNIVERSITY · 2021 · $125,030

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Intersectionality frameworks draw attention to health disparities that exist at the intersection of multiple axes of
social status and position (SSP). To advance from identifying to intervening upon intersectional health
disparities, studies that examine underlying mechanisms such as discrimination are required. Addressing the
need for comparable measures of discrimination across multiple SSP for intersectional health disparities
research, our team’s R21MD016177 is evaluating the Intersectional Discrimination Index, a set of three
measures of enacted (day-to-day and major) and anticipated discrimination. The parent award uses cognitive
interviewing and psychometric methods to evaluate the InDI measures in English and Spanish. Advancing
intersectional approaches to measuring discrimination is particularly important for HIV research. Barriers to HIV
prevention and treatment are driven by intersecting forms of stigma and discrimination based both on SSP and
HIV status. Intersectional approaches to stigma measurement and mitigation have been recognized as key to
achieving plans to End the HIV Epidemic in the United States. This administrative supplement draws on the
HIV Stigma and Health Stigma and Discrimination Frameworks to enhance and investigate the utility of the
InDI measures for HIV-related health disparities research. Specifically, we will: (1) create a modified set of
HIV-InDI measures to capture HIV-related, as well as SSP-related, discrimination; (2) evaluate the
configural, metric, and scalar structures of the HIV-InDI measures; and (3) assess the potential utility of
the InDI and HIV-InDI for HIV-related health disparities research through exploratory analyses of
whether, and to what extent, disparities in HIV prevention and treatment across intersectional groups
may be explained by anticipated and enacted discrimination. To achieve these aims, taking a community-
engaged approach, we will conduct cognitive interviews in English and Spanish with people living with HIV
(PLHIV) and supplement our quantitative validation surveys by collecting data on HIV prevention and
treatment, and recruiting a subsample of PLHIV. The study’s key deliverable will be the HIV-InDI, a set of
bilingual measures of anticipated, day-to-day, and major discrimination validated among diverse PLHIV. This
expected outcome is aligned with priorities for HIV-related intersectional stigma research towards Ending the
HIV Epidemic in the United States identified through a recent NIH expert workshop.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10451023
- **Project number:** 3R21MD016177-01S1
- **Recipient organization:** DREXEL UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Ayden I Scheim
- **Activity code:** R21 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2021
- **Award amount:** $125,030
- **Award type:** 3
- **Project period:** 2021-05-06 → 2023-01-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10451023

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10451023, Advancing intersectional discrimination measures for HIV-related health disparities research (3R21MD016177-01S1). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10451023. Licensed CC0.

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