SWG 10: Health Equity

Project Summary/Abstract Structural and institutional discrimination create inequities in opportunities and resources needed for HIV prevention and treatment, contributing to pervasive HIV disparities in key populations, which have persisted since the early years of the HIV epidemic. As individuals with marginalized identities encounter significant barriers to accessing HIV-related services due to the intersectional nature of systemic discrimination, bias, and racism in the US and globally, there is an evident need for increased research and attention on addressing HIV related disparities in historically disadvantaged groups. The proposed Health Equity Scientific Working Group (SWG) will catalyze efforts to investigate and understand the complex social and structural determinants of health disparities and to promote innovative research to attain health equity and remove sources of unfair health differences among historically marginalized populations. Our Steering Committee and the CFAR EDI Director will help to guide our work. Our Specific Aims are to: 1) Create a hub for community-engaged, interdisciplinary collaborations that will generate key data and conduct analyses that elucidate characteristics of HIV-related health disparities; 2) Promote and support interdisciplinary teams that include community partners and academic researchers to develop research agendas that advance community-engaged, health equity-focused HIV research at our CFAR; and 3) Develop research proposals that advance the achievement of health equity in HIV prevention and treatment among health- disparities populations with attention to the Pacific Northwest region. For Aim 1, we will conduct monthly works-in-progress meetings that will convene a multidisciplinary group of researchers, including early career and underrepresented individuals, to facilitate collaborations that will contribute to data generation and analyses that elucidate characteristics of HIV-related health disparities. For Aim 2, we will convene community meet and greets developed in partnership with the UW/FH CFAR Office of Community Engagement (OCE) to foster collaborations for researchers and community members to develop health-equity related research projects. For Aim 3, guest speakers will provide expert perspectives on select health equity-related research topics to support development of successful research proposals that will advance the achievement of health equity in HIV prevention and treatment. The Health Equity SWG presents an important opportunity to bring established and new investigators and community members together to strengthen and promote equity-focused research programs and provide scientific leadership in the area of health equity. The SWG will contribute to the strengths and interdisciplinary expertise of the UW/FH CFAR through its integration of community partnerships and multidisciplinary collaborations. Through the proposed activities, the SWG will expand current research approaches to build upon what we know about health disparities to eliminate barriers to achieving equity in access and utilization of HIV prevention and care.