# Increasing engagement and improving HIV care outcomes via stigma reduction in an online social networking intervention among racially diverse young men who have sex with men and transgender women

> **NIH NIH R01** · UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA · 2020 · $715,387

## Abstract

ABSTRACT
Multiple stigmas related to sexuality, race, and HIV infection negatively impact HIV testing, engagement in HIV
care, and consistent viral suppression (VS) among young Black or Latino men who have sex with men and
transgender women (YBLMT). At present, few interventions have addressed the effects of intersectional stigma
among HIV-infected and uninfected populations. In response to RFA-MH-18-606, this study tests whether an
online intervention tailored for intersectional stigma amelioration can elicit online social support, promote
intervention engagement, and mitigate the impact of multiple stigmas on HIV-related outcomes. We will recruit
and enroll 1,050 young (ages 15-29), racially and ethnically diverse men who have sex with men and
transgender women affected by HIV across the United States. Using a HIV-status stratified randomized trial
design, participants will be assigned into one of three conditions (information-only control, a researcher-driven
social network intervention, or a peer-driven social network intervention). Behavioral assessments will occur at
baseline, 3, 6, 9 and 12 months; biomarkers (viral load) are scheduled for baseline, 6 and 12 months. The
primary outcome is stratified by HIV status and defined as successful engagement in care (consistent VS for
HIV-positive participants and routine testing for HIV-negative participants). The specific aims are: 1) Test
whether an online intervention that promotes user-generated content and engagement to address
intersectional stigma is associated with improvements in the HIV prevention and care continuum (HIV testing,
antiretroviral adherence, VS) as compared to an information-only control arm; 2) Explore whether user
engagement, as measured by quantitative and qualitative paradata, mediates the intervention’s stigma- and
HIV care-related outcomes; and, 3) Examine how changes in intersectional stigma and improvements across
the HIV care continuum vary between the researcher-driven vs. peer-driven social network intervention
conditions. Our research study is innovative given its focus on intersectional stigma as a key target of
intervention, and its ability to assess how different kinds of online social network structures influence
participants’ engagement over time, reduce experiences of intersectional stigma, and improve successful
engagement in care. This research addresses a critical need to reduce the effects of multiple stigmas in a
priority population using an intervention delivered through a highly appealing, widely-utilized technology. If
effective, this form of stigma amelioration via online support can be broadly disseminated to reduce HIV
transmission and improve care among YBLMT.

## Key facts

- **NIH application ID:** 9878680
- **Project number:** 5R01MD013623-03
- **Recipient organization:** UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA
- **Principal Investigator:** Jose Arturo Bauermeister
- **Activity code:** R01 (R01, R21, SBIR, etc.)
- **Funding institute:** NIH
- **Fiscal year:** 2020
- **Award amount:** $715,387
- **Award type:** 5
- **Project period:** 2018-08-16 → 2023-03-31

## Primary source

NIH RePORTER: https://reporter.nih.gov/project-details/9878680

## Citation

> US National Institutes of Health, RePORTER application 9878680, Increasing engagement and improving HIV care outcomes via stigma reduction in an online social networking intervention among racially diverse young men who have sex with men and transgender women (5R01MD013623-03). Retrieved via AI Analytics 2026-05-22 from https://api.ai-analytics.org/grant/nih/9878680. Licensed CC0.

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