April 14, 2008 College News - The Medical College of Wisconsin has received a four-year, $2 million grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) to compare the housing access of drug users versus low-income residents who do not use drugs, and to determine the effects of housing status on HIV risk behavior.
Julia Dickson-Gomez, PhD, Associate Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Medicine and faculty member at the College’s Center for AIDS Intervention Research (CAIR), is principal investigator of the grant. CAIR faculty members Jill T. Owczarzak, PhD, Assistant Professor, and Timothy L. McAuliffe, PhD, Professor, are co-investigators. Research has shown that there is a link between homelessness and increased vulnerability for contracting HIV. However, little research has explored how housing and policies that decrease access to housing may serve to increase HIV risk. For example, the “One Strike Law,” which allows public housing authorities to deny federal housing subsidies to convicted drug felons and their families, presents a structural barrier for drug users in accessing stable housing. Additionally, important distinctions within the categories of being “housed” versus “homeless”—such as being homeless on the street, in shelters, or temporarily living with family or friends—may influence HIV risk among drug users. This multi-method study—to be carried out in Hartford, Connecticut—combines longitudinal surveys, qualitative interviews and geospatial analyses. The study will examine differences in access to housing over time as well as the effects of changes in housing status on HIV risk. It will also examine the effectiveness of supportive housing (permanent subsidized housing with supportive services such as substance abuse or mental health treatment) on drug using and non-drug using residents’ housing stability, HIV and drug risks, as well as neighborhood-level effects on HIV risk. Results from this study can be used to develop structural and behavioral interventions to address the combined risks of homelessness and HIV among drug users. This study will also help evaluate the effectiveness of supportive housing programs for increasing housing stability and decreasing HIV risk in the community.