A Training Development Plan for HIV-associated Behavioural Medicine - Project Description/Abstract
South Africa has the largest HIV burden in the world, with an estimated 8.2 million people living with HIV (PWH)
in the country. The HIV epidemic is driven by a complex interaction of biopsychosocial factors, and PWH have
high comorbidity with common mental disorders (CMD) – some estimates indicate that one in five PWH
demonstrate symptomology for depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, or substance use disorders. The
synergistic stress of HIV and CMD has significant adverse impacts across the HIV care-cascade, most notably
on adherence to antiretroviral therapy, retention in HIV care, and viral suppression. To address these concerns,
the HIV Mental Health Research Unit (HIV MHU) has conducted NIH-funded descriptive and intervention trial
research for more than a decade, which resulted in the Unit developing a new master’s degree program in
Behavioural Medicine – a novel and emerging field in South Africa. While research and training at UCT at the
intersection of HIV and mental disorders has grown steadily, these elements require clear cohesion and strategic
direction. Specifically, the proposed training programme intends to leverage existing research programs in the
HIV MHU to build research training capacity in HIV-associated behavioural medicine. A two-year planning grant
will allow us to document and analyse the existing research and training capacity at UCT and other South African
universities in HIV-associated behavioural medicine to define gaps and needs. Moreover, through collaborative
relationships with partnering institutions, we aim to establish an organisational structure that would support a
Fogarty D43 application and identify potential trainee candidates at UCT that could be recruited for training in
behavioural medicine within the D43 Fogarty training program. During the grant period, we aim to consolidate
our behavioural medicine program within the Unit, the wider University, and with our international collaborators,
to ultimately offer a suite of master’s, doctoral and post-doctoral training to a new cohort of both clinician-
scientists, as well as basic and social scientists. While our research to date has led to improvements in HIV
treatment adherence, viral suppression, and mental health outcomes, behavioural medicine is an emerging and
evolving field in South Africa. To date, there are no established behavioural medicine programs in South Africa
that focus on HIV, mental disorders, and behaviour. The proposed planning grant will facilitate establishing the
field in South Africa and the African continent.
