All Grown Up with Perinatal HIV

Adults living with perinatal HIV (PHIV) in the US have faced the unique challenge of growing up at the center of an epidemic that has morphed from a terminal illness to a chronic medical condition (Kang et al., 2008). Their entire childhood and adolescence coincided with distinct eras of the epidemic since the 1990s - experiences which have shaped their adult lives.

This project brings together former colleagues and friends from Harlem Hospital Center - Victor, Yvette, Rodney, and Ezer - to (1) understand how navigating changes in HIV treatment and stigma during childhood, adolescence, and young adulthood shape the meanings that Black adults living with PHIV ascribe to three critical life domains - health, relationships, and work; and to (2) contextually explore how these developmental domains influence their HIV treatment decisions as adults. With support from the Georgetown-Howard Universities Center for Clinical and Translational Science, we will conduct qualitative individual and group interviews with 25 Black adults living with PHIV (>25-years-old) in New York City to listen and share their stories. Excited about the work ahead of us.

June 2021, HIV Center for Clinical & Behavioral Studies. Victor and Ezer were invited to share conversations they’ve had over countless meals…and NBA2K breaks over the years. We were reminded that research is about telling and re-telling stories that really matter to people living with HIV.

This project is funded by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences (NCATS), NIH (Clinical and Translational Science Awards Program)