The Southeastern HIV Implementation Science Hub: Supporting the sustained implementation of evidence-based care among academic, community, and clinical partners

Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville TN

Investigators

Abstract

Modified Project Summary/Abstract Section: Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection remains a significant public health problem in the United States (US). Despite the availability of safe and effective HIV treatment (antiretroviral therapy, ART) and prevention (pre-exposure prophylaxis, PrEP), there remains a significant proportion of people living with diagnosed HIV who have not achieved viral suppression and a significant proportion of people at risk for HIV acquisition who have not accessed PrEP. The application of rigorous implementation science (IS) research is needed to address gross inequities across HIV-related outcomes. Effective implementation of HIV diagnosis, treatment, prevention, and response services will allow the US to reduce new HIV infections by 90% by 2030 by enhancing reach, adoption, and maintenance of EBIs. Implementation chasms persist in the HIV prevention and care continuum, in part, because few HIV scientists were adequately trained in, or supported with, real-time IS technical support when conducting complex, multi-sectoral implementation studies. In 2022, both the Emory Center for AIDS Research (CFAR) and Tennessee CFAR were awarded IS Hubs, Directed by Dr. Jessica Sales (MPI) and Dr. Carolyn Audet (MPI), respectively. In this application, our teams have partnered to create the proposed Southeast Regional HIV-IS Consultation Hub. We have assembled an outstanding team consisting of clinic and community training, IS research mentoring, and dissemination experts, making us exceptionally well-prepared and qualified to support the entire academic-community/implementing partner Ending the HIV Epidemic (EHE) grantee team’s needs, support capacity-building around dissemination and transition planning, and collaborate with Hubs and the Coordinating Center (CCDMC) to advance HIV IS science and progress towards EHE goals. We propose to achieve these goals via four aims: (1) Provide needs assessment, consultation, technical assistance, and practical support to EHE funded research projects to bolster successful implementation, dissemination, and transition planning to maximize sustainability and EHE impact. (2) Develop technical support resources to facilitate sustainable IS research capacity. (3) Promote the professional development and capacity-building of stakeholders essential to ending HIV in the US, and (4) Engage in cross-Hub collaborations to collectively advance HIV D&I science to achieve EHE goals. Our innovative focus is to support the IS capacity building needs of the entire EHE grantee team- the academic, community, and clinical implementing partners- to facilitate implementation during the grant period, allow for the creation of a transition toolkit to improve implementation sustainability, and ensure dissemination of successful strategies across the US. These efforts will reduce the “implementation to practice” gaps, resulting in the reduction in health disparities across the entire HIV prevention and care continuum.