Syndemics Impacting the Health of People with HIV-related Comorbidities and Co-Infections within NIDDK's Mission

May 2023 Council

Lead Division/Office

DDN, DEM, KUH

Point(s) of Contact

Peter Perrin, Ph.D.; Mary Evans, Ph.D.; Jenna Norton, Ph.D., M.P.H.; Shavon Artis Dickerson, Dr.P.H., M.P.H.

Executive Summary

Intersectional stigma and discrimination based on multiple factors, like race/ethnicity, gender identity, and sexual orientation, can impact the management of comorbidities and co-infections in people with HIV across the lifespan. People with HIV may also belong to other communities that experience stigma or discrimination. These include sex workers, people involved with the justice system, young people experiencing homelessness without a guardian, older people, people with disabilities, rural residents, and people living alone or in isolation. Moreover, there may be stigma associated with noncommunicable comorbidities such as obesity, diabetes or kidney disease, and co-infections such as viral hepatitis as well as with HIV itself. Such intersecting marginalized identities place people with HIV at greater risk for adverse social determinants of health, or social risks.This initiative addresses the impact of syndemic racism, homophobia, transphobia, discrimination, and stigma and their inter-relationships with social risks on development, exacerbation, and effective management of HIV comorbidities and co-infections within NIDDK's mission. The initiative will support research projects that address the impact of social risks, such as housing insecurity, food insecurity, and economic insecurity; on comorbidities and co-infections in racialized, marginalized, and stigmatized populations.