Biopsychosocial pathways and inflammation among older adults with HIV

We are investigating links between psychosocial factors (such as depression and stigma), inflammation, and health risks among older adults with HIV.  This substudy leverages the survey, biomedical, and biorepository data from our collaborative work with investigators at Hunter College and GMHC.  Funding from an American Psychological Foundation Visionary Grant supported the inflammation assays for this project, which were conducted by the WCM CTSC Core Lab. The overall goal is to identify behavioral factors that are associated with elevated inflammation among older adults with HIV, in order to inform potential intervention approaches. In our primary analyses, we observed expected links between cytokine levels, depressive symptoms, and health assessments.  Secondary analyses focusing on additional stress-related pathways and protective factors are ongoing.