ResearchProjects

There is an urgent need for new research approaches to advance intervention science. This project employed a new, potent, and innovative research methodology, the Multiphase Optimization STrategy (MOST), a framework for developing highly efficacious, efficient, scalable, and cost-effective interventions. This study recruited a large population of African American/Black and Latino persons living with HIV/AIDS (PLHA) in the U.S. who are not sufficiently engaged in HIV primary care and not taking antiretroviral therapy (ART). The study addressed a vulnerable population of PLHA, including critically important subpopulations of men who have sex with men (MSM) and substance users; it developed an efficient and cost effective intervention to increase engagement along the HIV care continuum for these vulnerable groups.

Abstract on NIH RePORTER

Feelemyer J, Braithwaite RS, Zhou Q, Cleland CM, Manandhar-Sasaki P, Wilton L, Ritchie A, Collins LM, Gwadz MV (2024).
Empirical development of a behavioral intervention for African American/Black and Latino persons with unsuppressed HIV viral load levels: An application of the Multiphase Optimization Strategy (MOST) using cost-effectiveness as an optimization objective
AIDS and Behavior, 28 (7), 2378-2390. doi: 10.1007/s10461-024-04335-w.

Cleland CM, Gwadz M, Collins LM, Wilton L, Leonard NR, Ritchie AS, Martinez BY, Silverman E, Sherpa D, Dorsen C (2023).
Effects of behavioral intervention components for African American/Black and Latino persons living with HIV with non-suppressed viral load levels: Results of an optimization trial
AIDS and Behavior, 27 (11), 3695-3712. doi: 10.1007/s10461-023-04086-0. PMCID: PMC10211286.

Cluesman SR, Gwadz M, Freeman R, Collins LM, Cleland CM, Wilton L, Hawkins RL, Leonard NR, Silverman E, Maslow CB, Israel K, Ritchie A, Ory S (2023).
Exploring behavioral intervention components for African American/Black and Latino persons living with HIV with non-suppressed HIV viral load in the United States: A qualitative study
International Journal for Equity in Health, 22 (1), 22. doi: 10.1186/s12939-023-01836-3. PMCID: PMC9886533.

Gwadz M, Cluesman SR, Freeman R, Collins LM, Dorsen C, Hawkins RL, Cleland CM, Wilton L, Ritchie AS, Torbjornsen K, Leonard NR, Martinez BY, Silverman E, Israel K, Kutnick A (2022).
Advancing behavioral interventions for African American/Black and Latino persons living with HIV using a new conceptual model that integrates critical race theory, harm reduction, and self-determination theory: A qualitative exploratory study
International Journal of Equity in Health, 21 (1), 97. doi: 10.1186/s12939-022-01699-0. PMCID: PMC9286957.

He N, Cleland CM, Gwadz M, Sherpa D, Ritchie AS, Martinez BY, Collins LM (2021).
Understanding medical distrust among African American/Black and Latino persons living with HIV with sub-optimal engagement along the HIV care continuum: A machine learning approach
SAGE Open, 11 (4). doi: 10.1177/21582440211061314. PMCID: PMC9262282.

Cleland CM, Gwadz M, Collins LM, Wilton L, Sherpa D, Dorsen C, Leonard NR, Cluesman SR, Martinez BY, Ritchie AS, Ayvazyan M (2021).
African American/Black and Latino adults with detectable HIV viral load evidence substantial risk for polysubstance substance use and co-occurring problems: A latent class analysis
AIDS and Behavior, 25 (8), 2501-2516. doi: 10.1007/s10461-021-03212-0. PMCID: PMC7937776.

Gwadz M, Campos S, Freeman R, Cleland CM, Wilton L, Sherpa D, Ritchie AS, Hawkins RL, Allen JY, Martinez BY, Dorsen C, Collins LM, Hroncich T, Cluesman SR, Leonard NR (2021).
Black and Latino persons living with HIV evidence risk and resilience in the context of COVID-19: A mixed-methods study of the early phase of the pandemic
AIDS and Behavior, 25 (5), 1340-1360. doi: 10.1007/s10461-021-03177-0. PMCID: PMC7873114.

Freeman R, Gwadz M, Wilton L, Collins LM, Dorsen C, Hawkins RL, Silverman E, Martinez BY, Leonard NR, Applegate A, Cluesman S (2020).
Understanding long-term HIV survivorship among African American/Black and Latinx persons living with HIV in the United States: A qualitative exploration through the lens of symbolic violence
International Journal for Equity in Health, 19 (1), 146. doi: 10.1186/s12939-020-01253-w. PMCID: PMC7453370.

Gwadz MV, Collins LM, Cleland CM, Leonard NR, Wilton L, Gandhi M, Braithwaite RS, Perlman DC, Kutnick A, Ritchie AS (2017).
Using the multiphase optimization strategy (MOST) to optimize an HIV care continuum intervention for vulnerable populations: A study protocol
BMC Public Health, 17 (1), 383. doi: 10.1186/s12889-017-4279-7. PMCID: PMC5418718.