Biopsychosocial Mechanisms Linking Gender Minority Stress to HIV Comorbidities

项目概要/摘要 尽管艾滋病毒在性别少数群体妇女中的流行率很高，但人们对艾滋病毒知之甚少。 共病的情况。了解艾滋病毒相关的潜在机制 这种健康差异人群的合并症是促进健康公平的重要一步。 为了解决这一知识差距，这项研究试图阐明联系耻辱感和 生理压力对黑人和拉丁裔少数性别妇女艾滋病毒合并症的影响。具体 该项目的目标包括：（1）量化污名与慢性压力的纵向关系 生物标志物;（2）确定慢性应激生物标志物与HIV合并症的联系途径;以及（3） 研究慢性压力在连接耻辱、性激素和艾滋病合并症的途径中的作用。 这些目标将通过现有的NIH资助的队列平台来实现，以招募和跟踪200名参与者 在一项为期24个月的混合方法前瞻性研究中， 激素、心理健康和CVD风险。将在基线、6个月、12个月、18个月和24个月时收集数据。 这项纵向研究融合了深度访谈和定量心理社会研究， 和生物学措施，以促进对社会之间复杂关系的理解， 经验和身体健康。这项创新的研究将确定潜在的机制 耻辱感与艾滋病合并症之间的关系。它对干预具有重要意义， 艾滋病毒感染者的健康差异，并将提供新的信息，可用于指导 临床实践和减少健康差距。

Project Summary/Abstract Despite a high prevalence of HIV among gender minority women, very little is known about HIV comorbid conditions in this population. Understanding the mechanisms of underlying HIV-related comorbidities in this health disparity population is an important step toward advancing health equity. The address this gap in knowledge, the study seeks to elucidate pathways linking stigma and physiologic stress to HIV comorbidities among Black and Latina gender minority women. The specific aims of the project include to: (1) quantify the longitudinal relationship of stigma to chronic stress biomarkers; (2) identify pathways linking chronic stress biomarkers to HIV comorbidities; and (3) examine the role of chronic stress in pathways linking stigma, sex hormones, and HIV comorbidities. These aims will be met using existing NIH-funded cohort platforms to enroll and follow 200 participants in a 24-month, mixed-methods, prospective study to measure stigma, biomarkers of chronic stress, sex hormones, mental health, and CVD risk. Data will be collected at baseline, 6-, 12-, 18-, and 24-months. This longitudinal study blends in-depth-interviews and quantitative psychosocial research with clinical and biological measures to advance understanding of the complex relationships between social experiences and physical health. This innovative research will identify mechanisms underlying associations between stigma and HIV comorbidities. It has important implications for interventions with health disparity populations living with HIV and will provide novel information that can be used to guide clinical practice and reduce health disparities.