Emily Arnold, PhD
Professor
Medicine
School of Medicine
My research interests lie at the intersections of culture and health behavior, particularly as this relates to gender, sexuality, and HIV-related risk behavior. Much of my work has been concerned with sexual culture among gay and bisexual men, and its influence on sexual identity, sexual behavior, and HIV-related risk practices.
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I am also interested in identifying culturally appropriate HIV prevention intervention mechanisms to reach young gay and bisexual men. Over the past several years, I have also become committed to using community collaborative research approaches to alleviate health disparities, particularly those impacting ethnic and sexual minority communities. Building on my interest in teaching and mentoring, I have also become formally involved in the Visiting Professors program at CAPS, which is supported through several R25 training mechanisms, and is devoted to alleviating health disparities by broadening the pipeline of scholars from marginalized communities who are able to conduct rigorous research.
One of my primary research agendas has been related to examining social networks and social support in the ballroom community, which consists of family-like houses, in the Bay Area. With additional quantitative training I obtained through my K award, I have explored the implications that houses and gay families, operationalized as social networks, may have on the provision of social support for young African American gay and bisexual men and its association with HIV-related risk behavior. This innovative project consisted of a two year ethnographic study to provide the foundation for the development of population-specific measures of social networks and social support, which were then fielded in a cross sectional quantitative survey in the final phase of the study. The ballroom community offers HIV prevention researchers and interventionists a unique and culturally appropriate avenue for reaching young African American gay and bisexual men, building on indigenous forms of social support already circulating through social networks in the community.
Another area of research involves the development and testing of HIV prevention interventions for African American men who have sex with men (MSM), including those who do not necessarily identify as gay. I am currently the Principal Investigator on a NIMH R01 to rigorously test such an intervention using a randomized controlled trial. Together with CAL-PEP, a community-based organization in Oakland, we have developed the Bruthas Project, a four session counseling intervention for African American men who have sex with men and women (MSM/W). As part of the randomized controlled trial, we have recruited 400 African American MSM/W across the Bay Area, 200 of whom receive the Bruthas Project intervention, 200 of whom receive standard HIV testing and counseling. The men are followed over 9 months, with assessments at baseline, 3 months and 6 months follow-up. We hope to demonstrate that men enrolled in the Bruthas Project have less HIV-related sexual risk behavior and more regular HIV testing than men enrolled in the control group. We have also recently been funded to explore the unique issues facing HIV positive men in our cohort, to learn about their experiences with accessing and remaining engaged in care, so that we may be able to develop additional sessions to support healthy practices for those men who are already diagnosed with HIV.
In recent years, I have become interested in issues pertaining to health care systems through my work with the AIDS Policy Research Center at CAPS, particularly focusing on publicly-funded sources of healthcare insurance for the poor and chronically underserved. As part of examining the impact of the Affordable Care Act on the accessibility of HIV-specialty care and treatment for low income individuals living with HIV in the State of California, we conducted a qualitative study of healthcare providers, county-level adminstrators, case workers, and people living with HIV to ascertain facilitators and barriers to remaining in care. This work was recently published in PLoS One. We are currently engaged in a follow up study examining a health insurance premium payment program for low income people with HIV which is administered by the State Office of AIDS. This is also a qualitative study and we will be broadly disseminating findings from this evaluation to policy makers, advocates, as well as other policy researchers throughout the State of California.
Education & Training
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- Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Champion Training University of California 2021
- Postdoctoral Fellowship Medicine University of California 2007
- PhD Sociomedical Sciences (Anthropology) Columbia University 2004
- MA Sociomedical Sciences (Anthropology) Columbia University 2000
- BA College of Social Studies Wesleyan University 1996
Interests
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- HIV
- Social Support
- Social Networks
- Ethnography
- Qualitative Methods
- Socioeconomically marginalized groups
- Policy advocacy
- LGBT populations
- Intervention Development
- Clinic
- Community-based collaborative research
- Interdisciplinary research collaboration
- Implementation Science
- Children/youth
Websites
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- Profile at UCSF Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (caps.ucsf.edu)
Grants and Projects
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- Northern California HIV/AIDS Policy Research Center, California HIV/AIDS Research Program (CHRP), 2021-2025
- Increasing COVID Vaccine Demand in Disproportionately Impacted Bay Area Communities, Centers for Disease Control, 2021-2022
- A Randomized Controlled Trial of the Bruthas Project, NIH, 2010-2016
- Social Networks and Social Support among High Risk African American Men, NIH, 2007-2012
Publications (53)
Top publication keywords:
Patient Acceptance of Health CareSocial Determinants of HealthSocial SciencesHealth Care ReformHealth Services AccessibilityUnsafe SexSexual and Gender MinoritiesLegal ServicesContinuity of Patient CareHomosexuality, MaleTransgender PersonsHIV InfectionsPre-Exposure ProphylaxisSocial StigmaAcquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
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A Co-Created Tool to Help Counter Health Misinformation for Spanish-Speaking Communities in the San Francisco Bay Area.
International journal of environmental research and public health 2024 Abascal Miguel L, Maiorana A, Saggese GSR, Campbell CK, Bourdeau B, Arnold EA -
A guaranteed income intervention to improve the health and financial well-being of low-income black emerging adults: study protocol for the Black Economic Equity Movement randomized controlled crossover trial.
Frontiers in public health 2023 Lippman SA, Libby MK, Nakphong MK, Arons A, Balanoff M, Mocello AR, Arnold EA, Shade SB, Qurashi F, Downing A, Moore A, Dow WH, Lightfoot MA -
Am I going to have to run to get out of this place? Experiences of HIV clinical and service providers in California regions heavily impacted by climate disaster: a qualitative study
PLoS Climate 2023 Moran, L, Fuller, SM, Joshi, S, Outram, S, Koester, KA, Steward, WT, Arnold, EA. -
Examining the Impact of State-Level Factors on HIV Testing for Medicaid Enrollees With Schizophrenia.
Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2023 Thomas MD, Vittinghoff E, Koester KA, Dahiya P, Riano NS, Cournos F, Dawson L, Olfson M, Pinals DA, Crystal S, Walkup J, Shade S, Mangurian C, Arnold EA -
Acceptability of the LetSync App Wireframes for an mHealth Intervention to Improve HIV Care Engagement and Treatment Among Black Partnered Sexual Minority Men: Findings from In-Depth Qualitative Interviews.
JMIR formative research 2023 Becker N, Kim HC, Bright DJ, Williams Iii R, Anguera JA, Arnold EA, Saberi P, Neilands TB, Pollack LM, Tan JY
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Insights from Drug Checking Programs: Practicing Bootstrap Public Health Whilst Tailoring to Local Drug User Needs.
International journal of environmental research and public health 2023 Ondocsin J, Ciccarone D, Moran L, Outram S, Werb D, Thomas L, Arnold EA -
Extreme weather events and HIV: development of a conceptual framework through qualitative interviews with people with HIV impacted by the California wildfires and their clinicians.
BMC public health 2023 Saberi P, Ming K, Arnold EA, Leddy AM, Weiser SD -
Ethical Dilemmas Facing Substance Use Counselors During the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Substance abuse : research and treatment 2023 McCuistian C, Fokuo JK, Dumoit Smith J, Sorensen JL, Arnold EA -
Characteristics and Trends in HIV Testing Among Medicaid Enrollees Diagnosed as Having Schizophrenia.
Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) 2023 Walkup J, Thomas MD, Vittinghoff E, Hermida R, Crystal S, Arnold EA, Dahiya P, Olfson M, Cournos F, Dawson L, Dilley J, Bazazi A, Mangurian C -
Socio-Ecological Influences on HIV Care Engagement: Perspectives of Young Black Men Who Have Sex with Men Living with HIV in the Southern US.
Journal of racial and ethnic health disparities 2022 Sterrett-Hong EM, Crosby R, Johnson M, Jennings Mayo-Wilson L, Arroyo C, Machinga R, Brewer R, Srivastava A, Smith A, Arnold E -
The innovative use of qualitative and mixed methods research to advance improvements along the HIV prevention and care continua.
Current opinion in HIV and AIDS 2022 Arnold EA, Campbell CK, Koester KA -
Impacts of COVID-19 on HIV/AIDS-Related Services in California.
Journal of the International Association of Providers of AIDS Care 2022 Koester KA, Fuller SM, Steward WT, Arnold EA -
We are Family: A Feasibility and Acceptability Study of an HIV Prevention Intervention With the House Ball and Gay Family Communities.
Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2021 Arnold EA, Saberi P, Wong JO, Pollack LM, Neilands TB, Benjamin M, Lockett G, Kegeles SM -
Non-parental Adults and Sexual Health Behaviors Among Young Minority Men: A Qualitative Examination.
Frontiers in psychology 2021 Sterrett-Hong EM, DeBow J, Caton E, Harris M, Brewer R, Roberts E, Marchal M, Tauzer M, Arnold EA -
Study protocol: a pilot randomised waitlist-controlled trial of a dyadic mobile health intervention for black sexual-minority male couples with HIV in the USA.
BMJ open 2021 Kim HC, Pollack LM, Saberi P, Neilands TB, Arnold EA, Bright DJ, Williams RW, Kegeles SM, Tan JY -
HIV Testing and Counseling at U.S. Substance Use Treatment Facilities: A Missed Opportunity for Early Identification.
Psychiatric services (Washington, D.C.) 2021 Riano NS, Borowsky HM, Arnold EA, Olfson M, Walkup JT, Vittinghoff E, Cournos F, Dawson L, Bazazi AR, Crystal S, Mangurian C -
The case for prescribing PrEP in community mental health settings.
The lancet. HIV 2021 Sudler A, Cournos F, Arnold E, Koester K, Riano NS, Dilley J, Liu A, Mangurian C -
Stigma Experienced by Transgender Women of Color in Their Dating and Romantic Relationships: Implications for Gender-based Violence Prevention Programs.
Journal of interpersonal violence 2020 Gamarel KE, Jadwin-Cakmak L, King WM, Lacombe-Duncan A, Trammell R, Reyes LA, Burks C, Rivera B, Arnold E, Harper GW -
We are family: designing and developing a mobile health application for the San Francisco bay area House Ball and Gay Family communities.
mHealth 2020 Saberi P, Berrean B, Milionis C, Wong JO, Arnold E -
Attitudes about community pharmacy access to HIV prevention medications in California.
Journal of the American Pharmacists Association : JAPhA 2020 Koester KA, Saberi P, Fuller SM, Arnold EA, Steward WT -
Documenting best practices for maintaining access to HIV prevention, care and treatment in an era of shifting immigration policy and discourse.
PloS one 2020 Arnold EA, Fuller SM, Martinez O, Lechuga J, Steward WT -
Medical-Legal Partnerships to Support Continuity of Care for Immigrants Impacted by HIV: Lessons Learned from California.
Journal of immigrant and minority health 2020 Fuller SM, Steward WT, Martinez O, Arnold EA -
Substance use, intimate partner violence, history of incarceration and vulnerability to HIV among young Black men who have sex with men in a Southern US city.
Culture, health & sexuality 2020 Maiorana A, Kegeles SM, Brown S, Williams R, Arnold EA -
Identifying Opportunities for Collaboration Across the Social Sciences to Reach the 10-10-10: A Multilevel Approach.
Journal of acquired immune deficiency syndromes (1999) 2019 Vincent W, Sevelius J, Lippman SA, Linnemayr S, Arnold EA -
'I want the heart of fierceness to arise within us': maintaining public space to promote HIV-related health with House Ball Community members in an era of gentrification.
Culture, health & sexuality 2019 Wong JO, Benjamin M, Arnold EA -
A Randomized Controlled Trial to Reduce HIV-Related Risk in African American Men Who Have Sex with Men and Women: the Bruthas Project.
Prevention science : the official journal of the Society for Prevention Research 2019 Arnold EA, Kegeles SM, Pollack LM, Neilands TB, Cornwell SM, Stewart WR, Benjamin M, Weeks J, Lockett G, Smith CD, Operario D -
The Impact Of Medicaid Expansion On People Living With HIV And Seeking Behavioral Health Services.
Health affairs (Project Hope) 2018 Arnold EA, Fuller S, Kirby V, Steward WT -
"There's no acknowledgement of what this does to people": A qualitative exploration of mental health among parents of children with critical congenital heart defects.
Journal of clinical nursing 2018 Woolf-King SE, Arnold E, Weiss S, Teitel D -
Understanding Prevention for HIV Positive Gay Men: Innovative Approaches in Addressing the AIDS Epidemic, Leo Wilton, Editor
"HIV within the House Ball Community and the Promise of Community-based Social Structures for Intervention and Support" 2017 Arnold, EA and Bailey, MM -
Spirituality/religiosity, substance use, and HIV testing among young black men who have sex with men.
Drug and alcohol dependence 2017 Carrico AW, Storholm ED, Flentje A, Arnold EA, Pollack LM, Neilands TB, Rebchook GM, Peterson JL, Eke A, Johnson W, Kegeles SM -
Mental Health Among Parents of Children With Critical Congenital Heart Defects: A Systematic Review.
Journal of the American Heart Association 2017 Woolf-King SE, Anger A, Arnold EA, Weiss SJ, Teitel D -
Identifying social and economic barriers to regular care and treatment for Black men who have sex with men and women (BMSMW) and who are living with HIV: a qualitative study from the Bruthas cohort.
BMC health services research 2017 Arnold EA, Weeks J, Benjamin M, Stewart WR, Pollack LM, Kegeles SM, Operario D -
Social networks and social support among ball-attending African American men who have sex with men and transgender women are associated with HIV-related outcomes.
Global public health 2016 Arnold EA, Sterrett-Hong E, Jonas A, Pollack LM -
'I am not a man': Trans-specific barriers and facilitators to PrEP acceptability among transgender women.
Global public health 2016 Sevelius JM, Keatley J, Calma N, Arnold E -
HIV transmission in MSM: considerations for PrEP scale-up.
The lancet. HIV 2016 Arnold EA, Steward WT -
The Development of a Counseling-Based HIV Prevention Intervention for African American Men Who Have Sex With Men and Women: The Bruthas Project.
AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education 2015 Arnold EA, Operario D, Cornwell S, Benjamin M, Smith CD, Lockett G, Kegeles SM -
Facilitators and barriers to effective scale-up of an evidence-based multilevel HIV prevention intervention.
Implementation science : IS 2015 Kegeles SM, Rebchook G, Tebbetts S, Arnold E, TRIP Team -
California AIDS Policy Center Report
Examining California’s Office of AIDS Health Insurance Premium Payment Program: Barriers and facilitators to establishing and maintaining comprehensive insurance coverage for Californians living with HIV/AIDS 2015 Kirby, V, Steward, WT, Arnold, EA -
'Triply cursed': racism, homophobia and HIV-related stigma are barriers to regular HIV testing, treatment adherence and disclosure among young Black gay men.
Culture, health & sexuality 2014 Arnold EA, Rebchook GM, Kegeles SM -
California's "Bridge to Reform": identifying challenges and defining strategies for providers and policymakers implementing the Affordable Care Act in low-income HIV/AIDS care and treatment settings.
PloS one 2014 Hazelton PT, Steward WT, Collins SP, Gaffney S, Morin SF, Arnold EA -
Mentoring Institute conference proceedings
Mentoring Early Career Investigators in HIV/STI Health Disparities Research 2013 Binson,D, Arnold, EA, Woods, WJ, Danley, D, Lightfoot, MA, and Neilands, TB -
Community member perspectives from transgender women and men who have sex with men on pre-exposure prophylaxis as an HIV prevention strategy: implications for implementation.
Implementation science : IS 2012 Galindo GR, Garrett-Walker JJ, Hazelton P, Lane T, Steward WT, Morin SF, Arnold EA -
A qualitative study of provider thoughts on implementing pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) in clinical settings to prevent HIV infection.
PloS one 2012 Arnold EA, Hazelton P, Lane T, Christopoulos KA, Galindo GR, Steward WT, Morin SF -
Fairy godmothers and guardian angels: A qualitative study of gay mentorship relationships
Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services 2012 Sheran, NT, and Arnold, EA -
"We're going to have to cut loose some of our personal beliefs": barriers and opportunities in providing HIV prevention to African American men who have sex with men and women.
AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education 2011 Saleh LD, Operario D, Smith CD, Arnold E, Kegeles S -
'It's my inner strength': spirituality, religion and HIV in the lives of young African American men who have sex with men.
Culture, health & sexuality 2011 Foster ML, Arnold E, Rebchook G, Kegeles SM -
The Bruthas Project: evaluation of a community-based HIV prevention intervention for African American men who have sex with men and women.
AIDS education and prevention : official publication of the International Society for AIDS Education 2010 Operario D, Smith CD, Arnold E, Kegeles S -
California AIDS Policy Center Report
Examining the Impact of the HIV-related State Budget Cuts: Comparing Alameda, Fresno, and Los Angeles Counties 2010 Arnold EA, Galindo, GG, Gaffney, S, Steward, W, Morin, S -
Sexual risk and substance use behaviors among African American men who have sex with men and women.
AIDS and behavior 2009 Operario D, Smith CD, Arnold E, Kegeles S -
Constructing Home and Family: How the Ballroom Community Supports African American GLBTQ Youth in the Face of HIV/AIDS.
Journal of gay & lesbian social services 2009 Arnold EA, Bailey MM -
Romantic relationships and their social context among gay/bisexual male youth in the Castro District of San Francisco.
Journal of homosexuality 2007 Eyre SL, Arnold E, Peterson E, Strong T -
Strategic communication in the HIV/AIDS Epidemic: The place of ABC approaches in reaching diverse audiences
Culture, Health, and Sexuality 2006 Arnold EA -
Caught between a rock and a hard place: Quandaries of doing HIV prevention work with gay and bisexual men in an era of abstinence-only education
AIDS and Anthropology 2004 Arnold EA