Examining multi-level determinants of HIV risk behavior in vulnerable populations
Using technology to understand and improve decision making as it relates to health risk behaviors
Applying innovative strategies to engage hard-to-reach drug users in HIV services
Exploring neurobehavioral outcomes through the integration of psychological and brain imaging techniques
Striving to improve the lives of individuals affected by drug addiction through rigorous clinical research
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Welcome to HARP at Duke University!
We are an interdisciplinary team that seeks to improve the lives of people with HIV who use addictive drugs. The overarching goal of HARP is to advance our understanding of how HIV infection and drug abuse can alter neurobehavioral outcomes. To this end, our research integrates multimodal neuroimaging technologies with behavioral assessment strategies and clinical measures. We focus on a wide range of drugs, including marijuana, cocaine, and opioids. Our research also investigates neurobehavioral predictors of risk behaviors and health outcomes among active drug users, including reducing health disparities. The HARP team is committed to inclusivity and employs recruitment strategies to reach diverse groups, including those with minimal access to healthcare.
Permanent link to this article: https://sites.duke.edu/harp/
This 5-year grant entitled, Modeling the effects of chronic marijuana use on neuroinflammation and HIV-related neuronal injury, was awarded to Dr. Christina Meade (PI) and Dr. Sheri Towe (Co-I) in the HIV and Addictions Research Program at Duke. The hypothesis-drived proposal will investigate the underlying pathophysiological mechanisms of HIV-associated brain dysfunction and the mechanisms through which …
The HARP team recently published an article titled “Examining the Potential of Pre‑exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) for HIV Prevention in a Community Sample of Persons Who Use Stimulants Living in the Southern United States” in AIDS and Behavior. Of 352 participants, over half (61%) met criteria for PrEP candidacy, but less than 20% had heard of PrEP. …
The HARP team recently published a journal article titled “Web‑Based Cognitive Training to Improve Working Memory in Persons with Co‑Occurring HIV Infection and Cocaine Use Disorder: Outcomes from a Randomized Controlled Trial” in AIDS and Behavior. The aim of this paper was to examine the feasibility and effectiveness of a web-based cognitive training intervention to …
In a new paper published in AIDS and Behavior, the HARP team reported the prevalence of HIV infection and risk behaviors among persons who use illicit stimulant drugs in the greater Raleigh-Durham area. Using respondent driven sampling (RDS), the team engaged 387 participants from seven initial “seeds”, as demonstrated in this figure. Participants predominantly used …
