Objectives

• Assess ISD, behavioral (e.g., substance use, sex work, condom use), and place-based (e.g., resources, social issues) factors that impact behavioral and sexual health outcomes for at-risk groups, including sexual and gender minorities, adolescents, sex workers, and people who use drugs.
• Develop or modify interventions to reduce ISD and the impact of place-based issues to improve behavioral and sexual health outcomes at both the population at-risk level and at the healthcare provider level.
• Share research results to;
• Improve understanding of how to address risk behaviors, ISD, and place-based factors that impact the sexual and mental health outcomes of vulnerable populations.
• Foster positive behavioral changes and encourage higher rates of STI/HIV prevention (including testing, PrEP, and reduced substance) and medication adherence (like ART) within these at-risk groups.
• Assist in the growth of independent investigators by offering academic and research collaborations with current investigators and mentorship to graduate students and early investigators who are interested in substance use and other behavioral issues, HIV and sexual health, and global health.

Core Values: Impacting Knowledge and Lives Team Work and Collaboration Integrity and innovation. Diversity, Equity, and Justice 

Areas of Research: HIV and Sexual Health Substance Use, and Behavioral change Stigma/ Intersectional Stigma Gender and Sexuality Migration and Global Health Neighborhood or Place-based health 

Announcements: All announcements made with any member or faculty 

Publications: All pubs with any member or faculty 

Conference: Same as the above 

Core Members, Address, Contact: 

Ongoing research projects/funding

• A formative study to explore healthcare provider cultural competence and HIV health-seeking behavior among transgender women in urban slum communities in Ghana

Aim 1: Assess TGW experience of stigma and health access in HIV-related services. Aim 2: Conduct explanatory surveillance among healthcare providers (HCP) on HIV-related services. 

*Source of Support: University of Rochester School of Nursing 

* Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $5,000 

*MPI: Shamrock/Abu-Ba’are Coordinator: 

Zigah Implementing Partners: Priorities on Rights and Sexual Health (PORSH Ghana)

2. Assessing the role of place and intersectional stigma on access to HIV testing and options for HIVST and linkage to care among West African immigrant sexual minority men - sex workers in Italy 

1. Assess intersectional stigma, facilitators and barriers to HIV testing, and options for testing and HIVST among West African Immigrant SMMSW. 

2. Map HIV prevention and care services and stakeholders 

*Source of Support: NIMH/CIRA Yale Fast-Track Pilot Award : 12/2022-11/2023 

* Total Award Amount $25,000 Implementation Partners, CIRCOLO Pink, Verona Italy.

Adaptation and feasibility of Many Men Many Voices (3MV), an HIV prevention intervention to reduce intersectional stigma and increase HIVST among YSMM residing in Ghanaian slums AIM1. Assess intersectional stigma and options for HIVST implementation among YSMM. AIM2. Adapt 3MV to LAFIYA to address intersectional stigma and HIVST among YSMM. AIM3: Test acceptability, feasibility, appropriateness, and preliminary efficacy of LAFIYA. Project Number: R01TW012671 

*Source of Support: NIH/Fogarty Center 

* Total Award Amount: $619,847 PI: Abu-Ba’are Coordinator:

 Dakpui Implementing Partner: Health Alliance Foundation Institutional Partners: University of Ghana, Yale University, George Washington University

Completed research projects/funding

Formative Research to Adapt a Community-Based HIV Self-Testing Education and Promotion (STEP) Intervention for Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) living in Slum Settlements in Ghana 

1) Identify MSM preferences for HIV self-testing and linkage to care within the context of their lived experiences as MSM within slum/informal communities. 

2) Adapt a community-based Self-Testing Education and Promotion (STEP) intervention to address low HIV testing among MSM in slum communities. 

*Source of Support: Yale University Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS/NIMH Total Award Amount: $31,699, PI, Abu-Ba’are Coordinator Zigah Implementing Partner, Health Alliance Foundation, HAF, Ghana

Multi-level interventions for intersectional stigma reduction to improve HIV outcomes for transgender sex workers 

1) Assess HIV risk, experiences of intersectional stigma, and related factors that promote or hinder access to HIV and sexual health services for HRPs, and 

2) Develop or adapt interventions to address intersectional stigma, risk behaviors, and other factors identified in the assessment phase that hinder access to prevention and care services. 

Project Number: R01TW12672 

Co-I: Gamji Rabiu Abu-Ba'are 

*Source of Support: NIH Fogarty 

* Total Award Amount (including Indirect Costs): $436,679 Partners: Research triangle institute (RTI) and Mekere University University, Uganda