HiFi Lab develops and tests culturally-responsible intervention strategies that can be integrated and targeted to address determinants of HIV infection among African and African diaspora communities. Our research projects employ a range of research traditions, designs and methods including randomized controlled trials, structural equation modeling, ethnography and systematic reviews.
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Background. Our team’s previous research in Ghana found low HIV testing among MSM(61%). These low rates of HIV testing are driven, in large part, by fear of being exposed to intersecting sexual and HIV stigmas in healthcare facilities. MSM who live in slum settlements may be more vulnerable to HIV exposure, and barriers to HIV testing, due to the experiences of material deprivation, poor community health infrastructure and stigma of being a person who lives in a slum. HIV self-testing (HIVST) provides an opportunity for increasing HIV testing among MSM in stigmatized and slum communities because people can test in their preferred locations including private homes or shelters. However, we found no studies that examined HIVST acceptability or utilization among MSM in Ghana, and no study on HIV science focusing on MSM in slum communities, despite the material deprivation and the possible associated increase in HIV risk behaviors and stigma within such environments.
AIMS. Our specific Aims are.
Activities. We will examine the AIM 1 by interviewing MSM (n=20) in two cities Accra (n=10) and Kumasi (n=10). AIM 2 will focus on adapting and testing the STEP intervention to the preferences and contextual realities of life of MSM (n=40) in slum communities in the two cities, Accra (n=20), Kumasi (n=20). The STEP model was developed by our team member with funding from NIH (K99/R00MH110343, PI Conserve).The intervention will be evaluated for acceptability, appropriateness, feasibility and effectiveness using pre-intervention and post-intervention survey of all participants and a follow-up interview of participants (n=20) to examine in detail their experiences with the intervention, acceptability and recommendations for improvement.