# PS24-063, MARI:  Integration of Latino MSM-tailored Oral and Long-Acting Injectable PrEP Services in Federally Qualified Health Centers in the Atlanta area (IntegraTE)

> **NIH ALLCDC U01** · EMORY UNIVERSITY · 2024 · $349,998

## Abstract

PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Oral and long acting injectable (LAI) pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), an effective evidence-based HIV
prevention intervention, is underutilized among Latino gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men
(LMSM) in the US. Nationally, only 21% of PrEP-eligible Latina/o/x individuals (mostly LMSM) were on PrEP,
while representing 30% of all new HIV diagnoses among MSM. In Georgia (GA), while HIV diagnoses have
decreased overall, new HIV diagnoses among Latino men (80% MSM) increased by 13% between 2010-2019.
Our group identified a scarcity of PrEP clinics able to provide culturally concordant PrEP care to LMSM in
Atlanta. In addition, despite LAI PrEP’s superior efficacy compared to oral PrEP, its implementation in
Southern states without Medicaid expansion (such as GA) has been difficult. Federally Qualified Health
Centers (FQHCs) are the ideal setting to implement culturally tailored strategies to increase oral and LAI PrEP
uptake among LMSM, but there is a technical capacity gap to address PrEP-, MSM-, and Latino-specific
needs. To address this gap, through direct partnership with two local community-based organizations and
health departments, the objective of the proposed implementation science research project is to develop and
pilot IntégraTE, an implementation strategy to increase oral and LAI PrEP accessibility and quality of care for
LMSM in 3 FQHCs in the Atlanta Metropolitan Area. We will first conduct an explanatory qualitative
assessment at 3 FQHCs through focus group discussions (FGD) to identify major barriers and facilitators of
providing oral and LAI PrEP services for LMSM. Through these findings and leveraging co-mentors
Sheth/Sales prior work, we will develop the IntégraTE strategy, an LMSM-tailored set of oral and LAI PrEP
trainings and technical assistance for 3 FQHCs. Lastly, in a pre/post implementation mixed methods study
design, we will assess the strategy’s reach, acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, implementation,
timeliness, satisfaction, and cultural competence, through surveys to 50 clinic personnel and 60 LMSM, FGDs
among clinic personnel, electronical health record chart abstraction, and direct observations of day-to-day
clinic activities. Our community-academia-public health partnership is ideally suited to carry out the proposed
study, as we have demonstrated ability to recruit 44 LMSM during the SaludFindr study and 70 LMSM for the
CREEMOS study, with both studies reaching 80% retention. In line with the Minority HIV Research Initiative
(MARI) objectives and the End the HIV Epidemic Prevent pillar, this research will support the development of
the first implementation strategy seeking to improve PrEP accessibility for LMSM in the Atlanta area at the
service provision level. Results from this study will serve as preliminary data to prepare a NIH R01 application
to conduct a hybrid type-2 effectiveness implementation study to 1) identify factors associated with clinic-level
ado...

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 11011011
- **Project number:** 1U01PS005282-01
- **Recipient organization:** EMORY UNIVERSITY
- **Principal Investigator:** Valeria D. Cantos
- **Activity code:** U01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** ALLCDC
- **Fiscal year:** 2024
- **Award amount:** $349,998
- **Award type:** 1
- **Project period:** 2024-06-01 → 2028-05-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/11011011

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 11011011, PS24-063, MARI:  Integration of Latino MSM-tailored Oral and Long-Acting Injectable PrEP Services in Federally Qualified Health Centers in the Atlanta area (IntegraTE) (1U01PS005282-01). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-25 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/11011011. Licensed CC0.

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