Thursday, October 2, 2025 10/2/2025

Social network disruption, stigma, and HIV transmission and care dynamics among forcibly displaced MSM in Ukraine

Award Number: R01DA057141
ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE
OPDIV: NIH
AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY
AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/01/2023
PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2028

Group Awards By:

View Award Description

Social network disruption, stigma, and HIV transmission and care dynamics among forcibly displaced MSM in Ukraine - ABSTRACT Forced displacement is on the rise, particularly in areas with high HIV prevalence. Disruption of social networks following forced displacement can amplify the risks of substance use disorders (SUDs) and enable HIV transmission. HIV transmission within and between forcibly displaced and local communities in situations of forced displacement can be facilitated by delayed HIV diagnosis and less viral suppression due to financial, logistical and administrative barriers in access to HIV care encountered by displaced people. Forcibly displaced men who have sex with men (fdMSM) can experience additional barriers due to stigmatization of their sexual orientation (MSM stigma), particularly in countries with high prevalence of MSM stigma such as Ukraine. Since Ukraine has one of the largest HIV epidemics in Europe and is experiencing a war that resulted in internal displacement of an estimated 5.9 million Ukrainians, fdMSM in Ukraine face unique challenges with respect to access to HIV care. We propose a study of 1,200 MSM (600 local and 600 fdMSM) in Ukraine: 800 MSM (400 local and 400 fdMSM) in Kyiv, the capital of Ukraine, and 400 (200 local and 200 fdMSM) in Lviv, a city in Western Ukraine; both cities are hosting large numbers of internally displaced people. Modified respondent-driven sampling will be used to recruit participants and collect social network and behavioral data. Blood samples will be collected from participants living with HIV for viral load testing, HIV genetic sequencing and subsequent phylogenetic analysis. All MSM living with HIV will be invited for follow-up interviews after 6- and 12-months postbaseline recruitment. Our overarching hypothesis is that fdMSM will have higher prevalence of SUDs, HIV, risk-related sexual behaviors, and be more likely to appear in recent HIV transmission clusters compared to local MSM, and that fdMSM in Lviv will have more stigmatizing social network ties that originated after displacement compared to fdMSM in Kyiv. We will address the following Specific Aims: 1) Determine the prevalence of HIV, SUDs, risk-related sexual behaviors, MSM stigma, and HIV testing among local and fdMSM in Kyiv and Lviv, Ukraine; 2) Characterize changes in social network composition since February 2022 and the impact of these changes on SUDs, MSM stigma, HIV risk behaviors, HIV testing, and viral suppression (among MSM living with HIV) in both local and fdMSM; 3) Estimate the impact of MSM stigma and social support disruption on HIV transmission dynamics between and within local MSM and fdMSM using phylodynamic analysis.


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 = $583,569 )
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	005	4	8/8/2025	SUPPLEMENT FOR EXPANSION	$98,312
2025	2025	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	004	4	8/7/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$485,257
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	6/16/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2025	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	003	3	7/8/2025	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$0
2025	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	2	3/20/2025	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$1
2025	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO	9500 GILMAN DR	LA JOLLA	CA	92093	SAN DIEGO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	3/20/2025	NEW	-$1
														Subtotal = $583,569

Issue Date FY: 2024 ( Subtotal = $550,958 )
2024	2024	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	002	3	7/2/2024	NON-COMPETING CONTINUATION	$590,678
2024	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA IRVINE	160 ALDRICH HALL	IRVINE	CA	92697	ORANGE	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	001	2	5/22/2024	CHANGE OF GRANTEE / TRAINING INSTITUTION / AWARDING INSTITUTION	$659,193
2024	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO	9500 GILMAN DR	LA JOLLA	CA	92093	SAN DIEGO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	5/22/2024	NEW	-$698,913
														Subtotal = $550,958

Issue Date FY: 2023 ( Subtotal = $698,914 )
2023	2023	UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN DIEGO	9500 GILMAN DRIVE	LA JOLLA	CA	92093	SAN DIEGO	USA	Drug Use and Addiction Research Programs	000	1	9/5/2023	NEW	$698,914
														Subtotal = $698,914

Grand Total All Awards = $1,833,441

Top

All Categories

About

Search

Reports

Data Submission

Award Information

Social network disruption, stigma, and HIV transmission and care dynamics among forcibly displaced MSM in Ukraine

Award Number: R01DA057141

ORGANIZATION: NATIONAL INSTITUTE ON DRUG ABUSE

OPDIV: NIH

AWARD CLASS: DISCRETIONARY

AWARD ACTIVITY TYPE: SCIENTIFIC/HEALTH RESEARCH (INCLUDES SURVEYS)

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE START DATE: 11/01/2023

PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE END DATE: 06/30/2028

Federal Websites

Department of Health & Human Services

HHS Operating Divisions

HHS Staff Divisions

Download A Document Viewer