# Multilevel factors influencing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in hidradenitis suppurativa

> **NIH NIH K23** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · 2023 · $167,292

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Hidradenitis suppurativa is a chronic inflammatory disease marked by painful, recurrent skin abscesses, cysts,
draining sinus tracts, and disfiguring scarring. Hidradenitis suppurativa disproportionately affects racial and
ethnic minority groups. Despite an awareness of these disparities, the underlying causes have not been
adequately studied. Dr. Chang is seeking an NIH K23 Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career
Development Award to acquire the necessary mentored training, practical experience, and knowledge to
become an independently funded clinical investigator of health disparities in chronic inflammatory skin
diseases with a focus on hidradenitis suppurativa. Towards this goal, the overall objective of this application is
to identify individual-level, interpersonal-level, and community-level factors that influence hidradenitis
suppurativa epidemiology and outcomes. Understanding these multilevel factors and their interactions is
pivotal for advancing our understanding of hidradenitis suppurativa and designing effective interventions to
improve hidradenitis suppurativa management. Dr. Chang proposes to: 1) Use a large racially and
socioeconomically diverse dataset to identify differences in hidradenitis suppurativa prevalence based on
individual-level and community-level factors and to evaluate the association between individual-level and
community-level factors and receiving biologic therapy for hidradenitis suppurativa; 2) Assess individual-,
interpersonal-, and community-level factors associated with time to diagnosis by conducting a survey study of
racially and socioeconomically diverse adults living with hidradenitis suppurativa; 3) Identify patient-reported
facilitators of obtaining care for hidradenitis suppurativa using a mixed methods approach with racially and
socioeconomically diverse study participants. A mentoring team with multidisciplinary expertise will guide Dr.
Chang's career development and research progress: immune-mediated diseases (Dr. Yazdany), hidradenitis
suppurativa (Drs. Naik and Linos), epidemiologic methods for observational studies (Drs. Yazdany and Linos),
health disparities research (Drs. Yazdany and Ackerman), qualitative/mixed methods research (Drs. Ackerman
and Linos). Their mentorship combined with focused training and the proposed research plan will develop Dr.
Chang's expertise in health disparities research in chronic inflammatory diseases.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10721135
- **Project number:** 1K23AR082918-01
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO
- **Principal Investigator:** Aileen Yenting Chang
- **Activity code:** K23 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2023
- **Award amount:** $167,292
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2023-09-15 → 2028-08-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10721135

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10721135, Multilevel factors influencing racial, ethnic, and socioeconomic disparities in hidradenitis suppurativa (1K23AR082918-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-26 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10721135. Licensed CC0.

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