Adherence to HIV Treatment and Prevention

Overview

This program supports scientific research to better understand and support people’s use of HIV antiretroviral therapy (ART) and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP). Relevant research studies will focus on uptake of, adherence to, or persistence on these HIV treatment and prevention regimens. Studies will optimally assess these outcomes through objective measures (e.g., drug levels, electronic monitoring, prescription records, pharmacy refills, and viral suppression). Across these outcomes, this scientific program supports descriptive research to inform future interventions, research to develop and test novel interventions, and research to advance the dissemination and implementation of evidence-based interventions. Interventions may operate at one or more ecologic levels of influence, including individuals, providers, or healthcare delivery and policies. The program invites research conducted in U.S. domestic settings or global settings burdened by HIV, with an emphasis on approaches likely to have broad and sustained impact.

Areas of Emphasis

• Understand, promote, and support uptake of and adherence and persistence to HIV PrEP among those who may benefit.
• Advance adherence assessment and monitoring and incorporate such measures into routine care and services to improve identification of individuals in need of adherence support.
• Improve HIV treatment outcomes through the development and testing of interventions that will improve and sustain ART adherence. ART adherence intervention trials should assess impact on both behavioral adherence and biological outcomes such as viral suppression.
• Understand and address individual, provider, clinic, and policy-level factors that may impact initiation of and adherence and persistence to HIV prevention and treatment regimens.
• Develop and test interventions designed to reduce documented racial/ethnic, gender, and age-related disparities in HIV PrEP and ART use and outcomes.

Contact

Michael J. Stirratt, Ph.D.
Program Officer
Senior Behavioral Scientist
NIMH Division of AIDS Research
240-627-3875, stirrattm@mail.nih.gov