Request for Information (RFI): Behavioral Interventions to Prevent HIV Infection among Diverse Young Men Who Have Sex with Men (MSM)


Notice Number:

NOT-MD-14-010

Key Dates

Release Date: October 3, 2014

Response Date: December 1, 2014  

Related Announcements

None

Issued by

National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)

Purpose

This Request for Information (RFI) seeks input about scientific gaps and best practices regarding behavioral interventions to prevent HIV infection in young men (including adolescents under 18 and young adults up to age 24) who have sex with men (MSM) from diverse backgrounds. NIMHD invites comments from researchers, healthcare providers, public health experts, social services organizations, advocacy groups, consumer organizations, small businesses, and other relevant stakeholders.

Background

MSM bear a greater burden of HIV/AIDS than any other population group in the U.S., comprising only 2% of the population but 56% of individuals living with HIV/AIDS. New HIV infections disproportionately occur among young racial/ethnic minority MSM (see www.cdc.gov/healthyyouth/sexualbehaviors/.../hiv_factsheet_ymsm.pdf for more information). Despite numerous studies supported by NIH and other funders examining HIV prevention interventions in various populations, there remains a dearth of evidence-based interventions with broad applicability and effectiveness for young MSM across U.S. health disparity populations (African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, rural populations, and low-income populations). For example, only a small fraction of evidence-based HIV behavioral interventions identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) target MSM, and even fewer target MSM under 18 or more than one health disparity population (see http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/prevention/research/compendium/rr/complete.html). Therefore, there is a critical need to consolidate the extensive knowledge generated from existing and past studies to develop, evaluate, and disseminate HIV prevention interventions that can be implemented with diverse populations nationwide.

Information Requested

This RFI invites comments that include but are not limited to the  any of the following areas:

  • Gaps in existing evidence-based behavioral HIV prevention interventions for MSM belonging to health disparity populations (African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans, American Indians/Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians and Other Pacific Islanders, rural populations, and low-income populations).
  • Gaps in existing evidence-based behavioral HIV prevention interventions for young MSM under the age of 18.
  • Current best or promising practices regarding HIV prevention interventions for young MSM from diverse backgrounds.
  • Effective strategies to incorporate mobile technologies and social media applications into HIV prevention interventions for young MSM from diverse backgrounds.
  • Strategies from global HIV prevention efforts that can be applied to U.S. health disparity populations.
  • Effective strategies to recruit and retain young MSM from diverse backgrounds into HIV prevention trials.
  • Strategies to facilitate collaboration among researchers and service providers with expertise in HIV prevention for particular populations of young MSM.

Responses

All responses must be submitted via email to nimhdnotmd14010@mail.nih.gov. Responses will be accepted through December 1, 2014. Please include the Notice number NOT-MD-14-010 in the subject line.

The information provided will be analyzed and may appear in reports. Respondents are advised that the Government is under no obligation to acknowledge receipt of the information received or provide feedback to respondents with respect to any information submitted. No proprietary, classified, confidential, or sensitive information should be included in your response. The Government reserves the right to use any non-proprietary technical information in any resultant solicitation(s). The NIH may use the information gathered to develop grant, contract, or other funding priorities and initiatives.

This RFI is for information and planning purposes only and should not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Federal Government general or the National Institutes of Health (NIH) or NIMHD specifically.  The NIH does not intend to make any awards based on responses to this RFI or pay for the preparation of any information submitted or for the Government’s use of such information.

Inquiries

Please direct all inquiries to:

Jennifer Alvidrez, PhD
National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities (NIMHD)
Telephone: 301-594-9567
Email: nimhdnotmd14010@mail.nih.gov