PROJECT SUMMARY/ABSTRACT
Globally, there were an estimated 36.9 million people living with HIV in 2017. As a result of the increased
availability of antiretroviral therapy, life expectancy for these patients has increased, resulting in an expansion
and aging of the HIV-infected population. Data from both high- and low-resource countries have shown an
escalating burden of heart, lung, blood, and sleep (HLBS) disorders among HIV patients. Care for this now aging
cohort requires modifying service delivery models towards the prevention, diagnosis, treatment, and control of
chronic HLBS disorders. The successful implementation of various solutions developed in response to the global
HIV/AIDS pandemic can serve as the foundation to transform global healthcare delivery systems towards HLBS
disorder care. The overarching goals of this Research Coordinating Center are: (1) provide scientific,
organizational, statistical, quality control, capacity building and operational leadership for the Implementation
Science projects to be funded by the companion RFA-HL-20-025 and (2) promote and teach Implementation
Research strategies to advance collaborative dialogue across projects and ensure up-to-date conceptualization,
specification and measurement of implementation strategies and outcomes. In support of these goals, we have
assembled a highly experienced and multidisciplinary research team. Our team, with expertise in running
multicenter trials, dissemination and implementation research, biostatistics and research design, HIV, HLBS
disorders, capacity building, and data management, will pursue the following specific aims:
1. To oversee management, organizational, and communication activities across all research sites including
working with NHLBI to prepare meeting agendas, develop the study website, provide administrative support
for research projects, and organize face-to-face meetings.
2. To collaborate with all research sites in developing the scientific and operational details of their
implementation science research protocols. These efforts will include:
a. Assisting study sites in designing, testing, and maintaining password protected data entry and
management systems and ensuring that such systems implement robust quality control features.
b. Harmonizing (a) demographic, clinical, and questionnaire measurements across research sites and (b)
the conceptualization and measurement of implementation strategies and implementation outcomes.
c. In collaboration with research sites, to statistically analyze harmonized data and to assist in the analysis
of site-specific data as reports, manuscripts, and abstracts are prepared.
3. To measure critical contextual Implementation Science factors in each research setting in order to enable
conceptualization of the mechanism of effect and, by extension, enable formalized assessments of external
validity.
To oversee the development and implementation of training and capacity building activities.
