Category: Health Psychology / Behavioral Medicine - Adult
Jasper Lee, M.S.
Predoctoral Fellow
Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
BOSTON, Massachusetts
Brooke Rogers, M.P.H., Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Alpert Medical School of Brown University
Providence, Rhode Island
Trevor Hart, Ph.D.
Professor and Director, HIV Prevention Lab
Ryerson University
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Noelle Mendez, M.S.
Graduate Student
University of Miami
Miami, Florida
Emily Braunewell, M.Ed.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Boston, Massachusetts
Brett Dolotina, B.S.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Somerville, Massachusetts
Jasper Lee, M.S.
Predoctoral Fellow
Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
BOSTON, Massachusetts
The presence of intertwined and mutually enhancing psychosocial and structural problems, also known as syndemics (i.e., synergistic epidemics) are associated with increased acquisition risk for HIV and other STIs (Bränström & Pachankis, 2018; Mimiaga, Biello, et al., 2015; Mimiaga, OʼCleirigh, et al., 2015; Mustanski et al., 2007, 2017; O’Cleirigh et al., 2018; Stall et al., 2003), as well as worse HIV treatment outcomes (Safren et al., 2015). Despite the high public health significance of addressing syndemic problems, treatment approaches to target multiple comorbid problems are limited, and many do not address syndemic problems of differing etiologies, such as psychosocial and structural problems. One potential reason for the lack of transdiagnostic treatments for comorbid and syndemic problems is the paucity of extant literature examining the effects of syndemic problems on sexual health treatment and prevention, the mechanisms of these effects, as well as debate among researchers on how best to statistically model these effects (Tsai et al., 2017). Many under-examined questions exist about how to intervene on syndemic problems among diverse populations at different stages of the prevention continuum around the world.
In this symposium, we present research conducted in the United States, Canada, India, and South Africa that examines the effects of a variety of syndemic problems at different points of the STI/STD treatment and prevention cascades among diverse groups of participants. Participants include gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (GBM) in Canada, men who have sex with men (MSM) with HIV in Boston, MA, people with HIV (PWH) in Miami, FL, MSM in India, and PWH in South Africa. Using both quantitative and qualitative methodologies, presenters will examine: 1) the relationship between syndemic problems and sexual risk behavior, 2) the moderating role of approach versus inhibition motivation on the relationship between racial discrimination and trauma-induced hyperarousal, 3) various statistical approaches for examining the extent to which HIV is syndemic with mental health problems, 4) potential mechanisms of the effects of a common syndemic problem on sexual behavior, 5) and describe emotional and cognitive reactions to antiretroviral therapy (ART) and motivations related to HIV medication adherence.
At the conclusion of this symposium, audience members will have been presented with the following learning objectives:
Presenter: Trevor A. Hart, Ph.D. – Ryerson University
Co-author: Syed Noor, PhD – Louisiana State University -Shreveport
Co-author: Graham W. Berlin, PhD – Ryerson University
Co-author: Shayna Skakoon-Sparling, Ph.D. – Ryerson University
Co-author: Farideh Tavangar, MSc – Ryerson University
Co-author: Darrell H.S. Tan, MD, PhD. – St. Michael's Hospital
Co-author: Nathan Lachowsky, PhD – University of Victoria
Co-author: Jody Jollimore, MPP – Community Based Research Centre
Co-author: Jordan M. Sang, PhD – BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
Co-author: Abbie Parlette, BA – Ryerson University
Co-author: Herak Apelian, MS – McGill University Health Centre
Co-author: Gilles Lambert, MD – Direction regionale de sante publique
Co-author: David M. Moore, MD, MPH – BC Centre for Excellence in HIV/AIDS
Co-author: Joseph Cox, MD – McGill University
Presenter: Noelle A. Mendez, M.S. – University of Miami
Co-author: Noelle A. Mendez, M.S. – University of Miami
Co-author: Molly Ream, M.S. – University of Miami
Co-author: Lacey Craker, MPH – University of Miami
Co-author: Jahn Jaramillo, MPH – University of Miami
Co-author: Audrey Harkness, Ph.D. – University of Miami
Co-author: Sara St. George, Ph.D. – University of Miami
Co-author: Steven A. Safren, Ph.D., ABPP – University of Miami
Presenter: Emily Braunewell, M.Ed. – Massachusetts General Hospital
Co-author: Jacklyn D. Foley, Ph.D. – Massachusetts General Hospital
Co-author: Conall O'Cleirigh, Ph.D. – Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts General Hospital,
Co-author: Abigail W. Batchelder, M.P.H., Ph.D. – MGH/Harvard Medical School
Presenter: Brett Dolotina, B.S. – Massachusetts General Hospital
Co-author: Jasper S. Lee, M.S. – Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
Co-author: Steven A. Safren, Ph.D., ABPP – University of Miami
Co-author: Beena Thomas, PhD – National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis
Co-author: Alpana Dange, MS – The Humsafar Trust
Co-author: Shruta Rawat, MS – The Humsafar Trust
Co-author: Vinoth Balu, MS – National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis
Co-author: Senthil Kumar, MS – National Institute for Research in Tuberculosis
Co-author: Matthew Mimiaga, ScD – University of California Los Angeles
Co-author: Kenneth Mayer, MD – The Fenway Institute
Co-author: Conall O'Cleirigh, Ph.D. – Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts General Hospital,
Presenter: Jasper S. Lee, M.S. – Harvard Medical School / Massachusetts General Hospital
Co-author: Sierra Bainter, PhD – University of Miami
Co-author: Alexander Tsai, MD, PhD – Harvard Medical School
Co-author: Jessica F. Magidson, PhD – University of Maryland
Co-author: Lena S. Andersen, Ph.D. – University of Cape Town
Co-author: John Joska, MBChB, FC, MMed, PhD – University of Cape Town
Co-author: Conall O'Cleirigh, Ph.D. – Harvard Medical School/ Massachusetts General Hospital,
Co-author: Steven A. Safren, Ph.D., ABPP – University of Miami