Addressing Barriers to Achieving Cardiometabolic Disorders Prevention and Treatment Goals for Persons Living With HIV in the Southeastern United States

Aim 1: 20 PLWH ages 35 years and older with at least one cardiometabolic disorder (hypertension, dyslipidemia, or type 2 diabetes) will participate in in-depth interviews (IDIs) using photo elicitation to capture the social environment and contextual determinants of cardiometabolic disorders for PLWH. Prior to IDIs, PLWH will take photographs of facilitators and barriers to reaching their cardiometabolic health goals. During IDIs we will discuss the content of the photographs and explore the most salient facilitators and barriers that an intervention (Aim 3) must address to achieve treatment goals for cardiometabolic disorders at the study sites.

Aim 2: 120 PLWH with the same eligibility criteria as Aim 1 across the study sites will complete a Patient Activation Measure survey to assess knowledge, skills, and confidence for self-management of their cardiometabolic disorders. Logistic regression models will assess the predictors of knowledge, skills and confidence for self management of these disorders in order to inform the tailoring of the intervention in Aim 3.

Aim 3: Guided by the Behavior Change Wheel model and using the human-centered design approach, we will engage key stakeholders (healthcare providers, community advisory board members, and PLWH with cardiometabolic disorders) in the tailoring of a self-management support and education intervention that has been found to be effective in the general population. We will engage stakeholders in an iterative process spanning three months by first developing understanding of the self-management and education intervention, reviewing the results from Aim 1 and 2 and brainstorming possible tailoring options within the context in which PLWH live and receive care in order to arrive at an intervention that is desirable, feasible, and viable. A final recommendation of the tailored intervention will be presented to the participating HIV providers, Ending the HIV Epidemic Committee in Mecklenburg County, and the Duke Center for AIDS Research Community Advisory Board. The completion of these aims will provide the data for publication, an adapted evidence-based intervention, and community and healthcare collaborations necessary to launch an R21 application to assess the acceptability, fidelity, and appropriateness of the intervention.