Skip to main content
Ann-Dennis
Ann Dennis, MD

Ann Dennis, MD, MS, a member of the Institute for Global Health and Infectious Disease (IGHID) and associate professor of medicine, focuses on the clinical and epidemiologic aspects of HIV/AIDS, particularly among minority and immigrant populations. Dennis will soon be starting the implementation phase of the RESPOND Carolinas study, to improve HIV care and prevention in the Carolinas, supported by the Center for AIDS Research (CFAR). This 5-year study focuses on enhancing the engagement of gender and sexual minorities in HIV-related services (including testing, care, and pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in Charlotte, North Carolina. The Charlotte region includes Mecklenburg County and directly borders South Carolina; both are regions prioritized in the U.S. Ending the HIV Epidemic strategy due to the high burden of HIV. The study will utilize a unique approach called the “enhanced social network strategy” (eSNS), which is an adaptation of an evidence-based intervention to increase HIV testing.

eSNS refers to a public health approach that leverages existing social networks to not only recruit individuals for HIV testing, but also connect them to a wider range of HIV prevention, care, and treatment services, going beyond the basic “social network strategy” which primarily focuses on recruitment for testing alone; essentially, it aims to provide a more comprehensive support system through social connections. By utilizing this innovative approach, the RESPOND Carolinas study hopes to significantly impact the lives of individuals affected by HIV in the region.

The RESPOND study began in mid-2022 with a Pre-Implementation stage. In this formative stage, the team used a mixed methods approach to identify barriers and facilitators to engagement in HIV services and in implementing the eSNS strategy.

Key Study Features

1) Finding Ambassadors: The study team is recruiting “Community Ambassadors” who are in networks with recent HIV transmission
2) Coaching Ambassadors: A Public Health Coach (a disease investigation specialist) on the study team is providing peer outreach coaching to Ambassadors
3) Peer Referral: Ambassadors recruit people from their circles. These are “Peers” who they feel would benefit from HIV services such as testing and PrEP
4) Linking Peers to services: The study team is providing facilitated links to services in the Charlotte region.

Collaborators in the study include Meagan Zarwell, PhD, and her team at UNC-Charlotte, IGHID Member Carol Golin, MD, director of the CFAR Social and Behavioral Research Core, and professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the Gillings School of Global Public Health. and her team. Collaborators also include the NC Division of Public Health, the Mecklenburg County Public Health, and a network of community-based organizations and clinics in Charlotte. The community advisory group is led by Alica Diggs at UNC CFAR and Jesse Elkins at UNC-Charlotte.