Hermanos de Luna y Sol

Hermanos de Luna y Sol: A community-based HIV prevention intervention

• Project Number: U01 MH136574

• Principal Investigator: Emma V. Sanchez-Vaznaugh, Professor

• Organization: San Francisco State University

• Administering Institutes or Centers: National Institute of Mental Health

• Project Start Date: 20-September-2023

• Project End Date: 30-June-2028

Project Summary

Research Goal: The overall goal of our research is to reduce HIV-related health inequities among Latinx immigrant populations.

Study Focus and Intervention: We propose to determine the effectiveness of *Hermanos de Luna y Sol* (HLS), a community-based, group intervention delivered in Spanish, designed to reduce HIV sexual risk among Latinx immigrants who identify as gay/bisexual men or men who have sex with men (GBMSM).

Study Design and Population: The study is designed as a quasi-experimental, community control, with Oakland, CA, as the intervention group and Chicago, IL, as the control. Assessments will be conducted at -3 and 0 months, with follow-ups at 3, 6, and 12 months. Participants (N=360; n=180 per city) will be recruited using Time-location sampling, a venue-based sampling designed to reduce sample bias.

Novel Aspects of HLS Intervention 

HLS offers several novel features:

• It focuses specifically on immigrant, Spanish-speaking populations.

• It addresses racism and homophobia as key factors influencing HIV risk.

• It employs a community-based approach that promotes community involvement (e.g., civic participation, volunteering) to foster sexual health and community building.

Study Significance and Potential Impact: This study will help identify effective interventions for preventing HIV among Latinx immigrant GBMSM, a highly marginalized population with limited access to preventive interventions. It is the first to rigorously test HLS’s effectiveness among Latinx immigrant GBMSM using a community control design. Success in this intervention could facilitate its dissemination through community organizations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, advancing efforts to reduce racial and ethnic health disparities, a major national public health priority.

Relevance to Transformative Health Disparities Research: This proposal aligns directly with the RFA on Transformative Research to Address Health Disparities and Advance Health Equity at Minority Serving Institutions. Led by SFSU—a Hispanic Serving Institution—the project involves partnerships with two Latinx community-based organizations: La Familia and the Chicago Queer Latine Collaborative.

Research Team Expertise and Alignment with NIH Goals: Our multidisciplinary research team has extensive experience in HIV prevention within Latinx and GBMSM communities. All senior personnel are of Latin American descent, fully bilingual (Spanish and English), and three are women. The study aligns with the NIH UNITED Initiative, promoting racial equity and inclusion in biomedical research, and responds to priority areas of various NIH institutes and centers, including NIMHD, NIMH, and the Office of AIDS Research.