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A community-based intervention to increase PrEP initiation in Prince George's County, Maryland: Reducing PrEP misinformation and increasing social support

Award Number: K01MD016346
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/08/2022
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2026

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A community-based intervention to increase PrEP initiation in Prince George's County, Maryland: Reducing PrEP misinformation and increasing social support - ABSTRACT My goal in pursuing a Mentored Research Career Development Award is to gain the necessary training, knowledge, and practical experience needed to become an independent investigator focused on improving access to and utilization of PrEP among Black men who have sex with men (BSMM) through social, peer- based intervention research. To continue my progress towards my career goals, I propose to conduct an intervention focused on increasing PrEP acceptability through developing and maintaining peer support and resilience to intersectional racism and homophobia among BSMM in Prince George’s County, MD. Despite a clear, well-documented need for greater uptake of PrEP among BSMM in this county, PrEP uptake among BSMM in this setting remains low, and extant literature specific to PrEP use in this setting and population is extremely limited. To address this need, I propose the following: Specific Aims: 1) Understand peer-peer interactions/exchanges and HIV prevention communications among BSMM through ethnographic qualitative observations (participant and direct) of two ongoing MPowerment models, 2) conduct qualitative in depth interviews to inform designing an intervention to reduce internalized racism, internalized homophobia and increase PrEP initiation among BSMM in PG County, and 3) pilot test a community-based intervention (130 participants) to reduce internalized racism, internalized homophobia, and HIV stigma and increase social support and PrEP initiation among BSMM in PG County, based on the MPowerment model. In addition to my specific aims, my Specific Career Development Aims are the following: 1) To develop expertise in the analysis of qualitative data, particularly related to social and structural factors, 2) to develop expertise in the collection and analysis of network data collected via respondent driven sampling, 3) to gain experience in the design, conduct, and evaluation of interventions and 4) to develop research management and professional development skills needed to lead future independent research projects. The knowledge and experience gained from the proposed research will provide me the skillset necessary to successfully compete for R01 funding to conduct a larger scale peer-focused intervention to promote PrEP acceptability and adherence among BSMM. The proposal makes significant contributions to the field in several ways, including 1) identifying barriers to PrEP acceptability among BSMM in Prince George’s County, 2) Qualitatively understand factors that may impact observed quantitative associations between barriers and PrEP use and acceptability, and 3) developing and evaluating an MPowerment intervention to improve PrEP use and acceptability in this population. My rigorous education, training, and research experience in social determinants of HIV/STI risk, collaborations with BSMM populations and organizations, proficiency with quantitative data analysis, and the expertise of my multidisciplinary research team, uniquely prepares me to conduct the proposed research and significantly contribute to HIV prevention science.


Issue Date FY	Funding FY	Legal Entity Name	Legal Entity Address	Legal Entity City	Legal Entity State	Legal Entity Zip Code	Legal Entity COUNTY	Legal Entity COUNTRY	Assistance Listing	Award Code	Budget Year	Action Date	Action Type	Action Amount

Issue Date FY: 2025 ( Subtotal = $122,416 )
2025	2025	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	5	7/30/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$12,241
2025	2025	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	5	12/15/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$110,175
														Subtotal = $122,416

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $122,802 )
2024	2024	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	4	12/6/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$110,523
2024	2024	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	4	5/29/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$12,279
														Subtotal = $122,802

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $122,440 )
2023	2023	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	005	3	1/30/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$12,316
2023	2023	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	002	3	1/5/2023	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$110,124
2023	2022	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	004	2	1/27/2023	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$35,774
2023	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	12/30/2022	NEW	-$35,816
2023	2022	GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY	4400 UNIVERSITY DR	FAIRFAX	VA	22030	FAIRFAX CITY	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	2	12/30/2022	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$35,816
2023	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	003	1	1/27/2023	NEW	-$35,774
														Subtotal = $122,440

Issue Date FY: 2022 ( Subtotal = $122,100 )
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	001	1	5/26/2022	NEW	$0
2022	2022	UNIVERSITY OF MARYLAND, COLLEGE PARK	3112 LEE BLDG 7809 REGENTS DR	COLLEGE PARK	MD	20742	PRINCE GEORGES	USA	Minority Health and Health Disparities Research	000	1	3/8/2022	NEW	$122,100
														Subtotal = $122,100

Grand Total All Awards = $489,758

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A community-based intervention to increase PrEP initiation in Prince George's County, Maryland: Reducing PrEP misinformation and increasing social support

Award Number: K01MD016346

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL CENTER ON MINORITY HEALTH AND HEALTH DISPARITIES

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: TRAINING/TRAINEESHIP

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 03/08/2022

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 12/31/2026

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