Research Project Summary
This mixed-methods study examines how patient preferences, lived experiences, and psychosocial factors influence decisions to initiate or decline long-acting injectable (LAI) HIV therapy and how these choices affect quality of life beyond viral suppression. While LAI medications such as Cabenuva are clinically effective in maintaining viral control, little is known about their impact on mental health, treatment satisfaction, and daily well-being, particularly among people living with HIV in South Jersey, where social determinants of health shape access, adherence, and care engagement. The study will be conducted with adults receiving care at Federally Qualified Health Centers and community-based clinics across Camden, Gloucester, and Cumberland Counties. Participants will include individuals who have transitioned to LAI therapy, those who were offered but declined it, and those not currently on treatment.
Quantitative measures will assess quality of life and mental health using validated tools, including the PozQoL, PHQ-9, and GAD-7. Qualitative interviews will explore the emotional and social meaning of daily medication-taking, perceptions of stigma, trauma, trust in providers, and barriers to care. By integrating survey data with patient narratives, the project will generate a holistic understanding of how people living with HIV define treatment success and what drives or limits adoption of LAI therapy. Findings will inform trauma-informed, patient-centered HIV care models, enhance provider education, and guide policy recommendations aimed at reducing disparities and improving engagement in care. Ultimately, this project seeks to elevate patient voice in clinical decision-making and strengthen equitable, community-based HIV care across South Jersey.
Research Project Goals
The goal of this project is to better understand how people living with HIV in South Jersey experience and make decisions about long-acting injectable (LAI) HIV therapy, and how those decisions influence their quality of life beyond viral suppression. While LAI medications such as Cabenuva are clinically effective, limited research has examined their psychosocial impact, including mental health, treatment satisfaction, stigma, and daily well-being. This study seeks to elevate patient voice in HIV care by examining the emotional, social, and structural factors that shape treatment choice. Ultimately, the project aims to inform trauma-informed, patient-centered models of HIV care that address not only biomedical outcomes but also the lived experiences that affect engagement, adherence, and long-term health.
Research Project Objectives
The specific objectives of this mixed-methods study are to:
1) Examine how patient preferences, lived experiences, and psychosocial factors influence decisions to initiate or decline long-acting injectable HIV therapy.
2) Compare mental health and quality-of-life outcomes among three groups: patients who have transitioned to LAI therapy, those who were offered but declined it, and those not currently engaged in treatment.
3) Assess depression, anxiety, and HIV-specific quality of life using validated instruments including the PHQ-9, GAD-7, and PozQoL scales.
4) Explore patient perspectives on daily medication-taking, stigma, trauma, trust in healthcare providers, and barriers to accessing LAI therapy through in-depth qualitative interviews.
5) Integrate quantitative and qualitative findings to identify key drivers and barriers to LAI adoption and to define patient-centered indicators of treatment success.
6) Generate evidence-based recommendations to support provider education, clinical practice, and policy initiatives aimed at improving equitable, trauma-informed HIV care across South Jersey.