Uniting Community with Academia in HIV Research

by Roger Anthony Granizo Abril

This week at the 5th HIV Research for Prevention (HIVR4P) conference, Family Planning News Network (FPNN) Community Reporter Roger Anthony Granizo Abril met with Gerardo Iván Martinez Vizcaino who is a research coordinator at La Universidad Lamar, a private health sciences university in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Gerardo is pursing his PhD in public health and has previously worked in HIV clinics specializing in providing support to individuals who are newly-diagnosed with HIV as well as conducting outreach to sex workers. He presented some of his latest findings focused on the social determinants of HIV in gay men at the HIVR4P conference in Lima, Peru.

We Can't Keep Separating the Science from Humanity

While many discussions around HIV focus on sexual behavior as a primary risk factor, Gerardo emphasized the importance of understanding broader social influences. His research suggests that factors like migration status, age, and social networks also play significant roles in determining risk.

As result, he attests that HIV diagnosis needs to be comprehensive. For example, offering counseling whenever research studies involve HIV testing “is an opportunity to better understand the population and identify all of their needs,” he said.

“This is crucial because, in the community center where I worked, the questionnaire was adapted to assist counselors. It wasn’t an academic survey but rather one that evolved with the needs of the counselors to provide better support for both positive and negative diagnoses, with a focus on person-centered care.”

Bringing These Worlds Together

This proposed amalgamation of systematic research and community participation comes with its own challenges. As Gerardo noted, compared with civil society initiatives, academia moves at a much slower pace.

“In community work, a new person arrives, and you have to come up with a strategy for their specific needs,” he said. Systematic research tends to be more rigid and takes more time. “I think this is something I've appreciated at this conference—a place where community work and research meet.” Spaces like HIVR4P help connect these two worlds.

Yet, the fact that “many community workers couldn't attend because they are too busy providing services,” as Gerardo said, is point worth echoing at all meetings and events in this field.

Altogether, Gerardo’s journey underscores the ongoing need to bridge the gap between community health efforts and academic research. His work highlights the importance of looking beyond the clinical aspects of HIV to address the social dynamics and emotional well-being of those at risk.