Addressing negative social experiences through coping and resilience to reduce methamphetamine use and improve PrEP cascade progression among Latino MSM

Negative social experiences are a main driver of HIV disparities among Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM), negatively affecting non-injection substance use (e.g. methamphetamine) and PrEP uptake. Addressing factors that influence PrEP cascade progression, such as negative social experiences and methamphetamine use, are essential to ending the HIV epidemic. Negative social experiences can occur across various sources (i.e. family, friends, others), mechanisms (i.e. anticipated, enacted), and types, which compound to produce and exacerbate deleterious health outcomes among LMSM. Social network analysis techniques can be leveraged to examine how LMSM interact with and are affected by network members and inform targets for meaningful interventions focused on network members that (1) provoke negative social experiences and (2) provide social support.

This K01 will provide the candidate, Dr. Algarin, with skills to conduct complex longitudinal multi-level structural equation modeling to examine the direct and indirect effects between negative social experiences and methamphetamine use risk and PrEP cascade progression through coping and resilience (AIM 1) and how sources of negative social experiences moderate these pathways (AIM 2) leveraging data from 500 LMSM enrolled in the NEXUS study (R01MH123282; PI: Smith). Using a community-engaged approach, Dr. Algarin will draw from these analyses to adapt a multi-level intervention to address negative social experiences through coping and resilience to decrease methamphetamine use risk and improve PrEP cascade progression (AIM 3).

As an emerging scholar, Dr. Algarin will leverage the UCSD training infrastructure to build his professional independence and skills to promote HIV prevention interventions, positioning him as the next generation of scholars to end the HIV epidemic in the US. Specifically, Dr. Algarin seeks training to advance his statistical capacities (T1), gain proficiency multi-level intervention theories and concepts (T2) and multi-level intervention development and adaptation (T3), gain additional training in the ethical conduct of research (T4), and build skills for his professional development (T5).

This K01 will provide Dr. Algarin with the necessary training and data to forge his research independence and produce a competitive future R34 to test the community- engaged, multi-level intervention he adapts as part of this study.

Grant Number: 5K01DA055521-04
NIH Institute/Center: NIH
Principal Investigator: Angel Algarin