Funding Opportunity Number: RFA-DK-25-001
Deadline: March 20, 2025
Background
Intersectional stigma and discrimination based on multiple factors – such as race, ethnicity, sexuality, and gender identity – can result in greater marginalization and increased social risks, and can impact the management of comorbidities and co-infections in PWH across the lifespan. PWH often have multiple intersecting marginalized identities. For example, most new cases of HIV in the United States occur in gay and bisexual men and men who have sex with men (MSM) who are African-American/Black or Latino. African-American/Black women and transgender women are also disproportionately affected by HIV. In addition, other populations of PWH often experience marginalizing stigmas and challenges. These groups include, but are not limited to, sex workers, people involved with the justice system, young people experiencing homelessness without a guardian, older people, people with disabilities, rural residents, people living alone or in isolation, and people lacking access to health care. Half of all PWH are aged 50 or older and experience specific challenges associated with aging. Access to health services is limited by socioeconomic status and geographical location, and young people experiencing homelessness without a guardian may also lack access to health care. Moreover, there are often stigmas associated with co-occurring conditions as well as with HIV itself.
Objectives and Scope
This Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) invites projects that address the impact of SDoH on comorbidities and co-infections within populations that experience racism, marginalization, discrimination, or stigma. These include racial and ethnic minority groups as defined by U.S. Office of Management and Budget (OMB), women, sexual minorities, gender minorities, and people with intersecting identities. It also invites projects focused on other key populations of PWH and other communities, such as, but not limited to, sex workers, people involved with the justice system, young people experiencing homelessness without a guardian, older people, people with disabilities, rural residents, people living alone or in isolation, and people lacking access to health care. Projects may address how SDoH impact the development or exacerbation of comorbidities or co-infections and/or how effective interventions alleviate comorbidities or co-infections and improve subsequent health or well-being. The comorbidities and co-infections pursued must be within the mission of NIDDK and/or NHLBI.
This initiative seeks mechanistic interventional approaches, inclusive of basic behavioral and social sciences research, policy/program evaluation studies and epidemiolical research toward advancing the understanding of syndemic interrelationships. Projects utilizing epidemiology approaches need to specify how the findings will build the evidence base to support action and improve outcomes for the relevant population. Additionally, this initiative could support dissemination and implementation (D&I) research directed at addressing syndemics faced by PWH by utilizing multidisciplinary partnerships to identify the facilitators and barriers impacting access and adherence to prevention, care, and treatment. Furthermore, when evidence-based interventions exist, researchers and community partners can co-design appropriate strategies to promote the uptake of guideline-based care within vulnerable communities.
For more information, please see the opportunity website.