# Social network disruption, stigma, and HIV transmission and care dynamics among forcibly displaced MSM in Ukraine

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE · 2024 · $590,678

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Forced displacement is on the rise, particularly in areas with high HIV prevalence. Disruption
of social networks following forced displacement can amplify the risks of substance use
disorders (SUDs) and enable HIV transmission. HIV transmission within and between forcibly
displaced and local communities in situations of forced displacement can be facilitated by
delayed HIV diagnosis and less viral suppression due to financial, logistical and administrative
barriers in access to HIV care encountered by displaced people. Forcibly displaced men who
have sex with men (fdMSM) can experience additional barriers due to stigmatization of their
sexual orientation (MSM stigma), particularly in countries with high prevalence of MSM stigma
such as Ukraine. Since Ukraine has one of the largest HIV epidemics in Europe and is
experiencing a war that resulted in internal displacement of an estimated 5.9 million
Ukrainians, fdMSM in Ukraine face unique challenges with respect to access to HIV care.
We propose a study of 1,200 MSM (600 local and 600 fdMSM) in Ukraine: 800 MSM (400
local and 400 fdMSM) in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and 400 (200 local and 200 fdMSM) in
Lviv, a city in Western Ukraine; both cities are hosting large numbers of internally displaced
people. Modified respondent-driven sampling will be used to recruit participants and collect
social network and behavioral data. Blood samples will be collected from participants living
with HIV for viral load testing, HIV genetic sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis.
All MSM living with HIV will be invited for follow-up interviews after 6- and 12-months postbaseline
recruitment.
Our overarching hypothesis is that fdMSM will have higher prevalence of SUDs, HIV, risk-related
sexual behaviors, and be more likely to appear in recent HIV transmission clusters
compared to local MSM, and that fdMSM in Lviv will have more stigmatizing social network
ties that originated after displacement compared to fdMSM in Kyiv. We will address the
following Specific Aims: 1) Determine the prevalence of HIV, SUDs, risk-related sexual
behaviors, MSM stigma, and HIV testing among local and fdMSM in Kyiv and Lviv, Ukraine;
2) Characterize changes in social network composition since February 2022 and the impact
of these changes on SUDs, MSM stigma, HIV risk behaviors, HIV testing, and viral
suppression (among MSM living with HIV) in both local and fdMSM; 3) Estimate the impact of
MSM stigma and social support disruption on HIV transmission dynamics between and within
local MSM and fdMSM using phylodynamic analysis.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 10920483
- **Project number:** 5R01DA057141-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA-IRVINE
- **Principal Investigator:** Tetyana Vasylyeva
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $590,678
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2023-11-01 → 2028-06-30

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/10920483

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 10920483, Social network disruption, stigma, and HIV transmission and care dynamics among forcibly displaced MSM in Ukraine (5R01DA057141-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-27 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/10920483. Licensed CC0.

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