# Structural Racism and Discrimination in Older Men's Health Inequities

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2022 · $844,201

## Abstract

Abstract
The health and well-being of older gay men has been greatly shaped by structural forces, namely
discrimination and, for older gay men of color, racism. Their contemporary history and life course have been
defined by exodus from hostile environments and the formation of supportive communities. The overall goal of
this research is to shed light on the extent and the manner in which structural racism and discrimination shapes
older gay men’s health.
This study will assess the relationships among health, stigma, structural racism and discrimination, resources,
and biomarkers of health and aging in older gay men of four racial/ethnic groups— African American, Latinx,
Asian American, and White— and across HIV status. This research is needed because older gay men’s health
fares worse than that of their heterosexual counterparts, their exposure to structural discrimination is higher,
and they have less access to supportive resources than older heterosexual men. Notably, 40 years after we
first faced HIV, we continue to learn about the consequences of HIV, including aging with HIV. Gay men
comprise the majority of older people living with HIV.
Older gay men face unique health risks and protective factors, yet they constitute a very diverse and complex
population. What we know about their health comes from mostly white, well-educated, and convenient
samples. Hence, the need to collect data from diverse and valid samples. This is a cross-sectional study based
on San Francisco Bay Area. Quantitative and Qualitative data will be collected from a sample of 600 older gay
men. We will collect structural, individual, and biological data to test hypotheses regarding the associations
among structural racism and discrimination, resources, and health (e.g., mental health, HIV risk, cognitive
function). Our team is multidisciplinary and includes our community partner, The Elizabeth Taylor 50-Plus
Network (of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation).
This proposal is in response to NIH’s RFA Understanding and Addressing the Impact of Structural Racism and
Discrimination on Minority Health and Health Disparities. It addresses the Office of AIDS Research Strategic
Plan of tackling HIV comorbidities and health disparities. The data and findings from this study are intended to
constitute the baseline for a longitudinal study.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10474152
- **Project number:** 1R01AG077934-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Jesus Ramirez-Valles
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2022
- **Award amount:** $844,201
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2022-09-15 → 2026-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10474152

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10474152, Structural Racism and Discrimination in Older Men's Health Inequities (1R01AG077934-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-21 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10474152. Licensed CC0.

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