This program, lead by AIDS Institute Associate Director Dr Gail Wyatt, explores how HIV infection affects patients, their families and their community. The program is divided into 4 sections, each lead by two Faculty members: Barriers to Care (Drs Norweeta Milburn and Chandra Ford), HIV Prevention (Drs Hector Myers and Debra Murphy), Sociocultural Issues in HIV Prevention (Drs Dorothy Chin and Steve Shoptaw) and Training and Education (Drs John Williams and Ardis Moe). These faculty members also function as a consultation committee who are available to new and established investigators at UCLA, with the aim of promoting all aspects of biobehavioral research. The committee is particularly attentive to junior investigators who require assistance in presenting their work for funding applications.
As part of the overall program, UCLA faculty members also partner with clinics and grassroots organizations in the community, to reach the people who need HIV education and services the most - adolescents, women, ethnic and other underrepresented groups, new immigrants, the poor and homeless. Key studies focus on the unique needs of women and teens infected with HIV, the complexity of HIV drug adherence, and how HIV patients in different communities obtain access to healthcare.
Presentations from the 2nd Annual "Health, Hope and Healing (H3)" Conference to address health inequalities among African American MSMW available below: