Strengthening behavioral and social science research capacity to address overlapping stigma, social and psychological challenges among people with HIV in Uganda

Modified Project Summary/Abstract Section While Uganda has made significant progress toward HIV epidemic control, trends for HIV incidence and AIDS related deaths have stagnated since 2020. HIV affects all age groups, but young people (age 10-24 years) have the poorest HIV prevention, treatment, and care outcomes, and increased availability of antiretroviral therapy has led to an increased population of older people living with HIV (PLWH). For all age groups, and in particular young people and older adults, social and psychological needs are largely neglected. PLWH in Uganda experience the overlap of different forms of stigma and encounter challenges of social isolation, psychosocial health disorders, limited social support, and substance use that impact their health outcomes. However, there has been a scarcity of African-led behavioral and social science research (BSSR) in HIV to address these challenges. During the past five years, we have laid a foundation for BSSR in HIV through training and establishment of collaborations across schools (Medicine, Public Health, Social Sciences, and Psychology) at Makerere University (Makerere U) and between Makerere U and institutions in the US, notably UCSF, UC Berkeley, NYU, and Yale. With NIH/FIC support, Makerere U has trained 31 trainees in BSSR in HIV, including 5 PhDs, 15 master’s degrees, and 11 non-degree fellowships. The priority gaps in behavioral and social science research from the National HIV and AIDS Research Agenda, our needs assessment findings, and the growing demand for integrating behavioral and social scientists in HIV biomedical research in Uganda have informed the direction of this renewal application. We propose to focus the next period of support on consolidating and expanding the current scope of the BSSR program, increasing scientific leadership, widening program reach, strengthening organizational capacity, and promoting sustainable growth of BSSR in HIV at Makerere U. The specific objectives of our research training program are to: 1) expand the current BSSR program focus to include overlapping stigma and other social and psychological challenges among PLWH; 2) strengthen organizational capacity and increase scientific leadership and expertise needed for independent BSSR by focusing more on PhD and postdoctoral training; 3) expand the breadth of the current program to include BSSR capacity strengthening for two less well established universities in Uganda; and 4) promote sustained growth of BSSR by establishing a BSSR Unit in our well-established implementation science research center at Makerere U. Different from other training programs in Uganda, the proposed program is uniquely focusing on BSSR in HIV. The renewal training program will build on our relationships with faculty from the US to provide continued research training and mentorship. During the upcoming five-year program, we expect to train 4 postdoctoral, 5 PhD, 5 master’s degree, and 6 nondegree fellowship candidates in Uganda.