Ayesha Appa
Dr. Appa is a physician dually board-certified in Infectious Diseases & Addiction Medicine whose research focuses on identifying effective, patient-centered models of care to simultaneously manage HIV/serious infections and substance use disorders. As the first UCSF fellow to complete medical training in both aforementioned fields, Dr. Appa’s observational studies have helped identify opportunities to improve care for people who use drugs with HIV and other serious infections. She also has been one of the primary physicians working at Ward 86’s Women’s Health Center of Excellence (as well as Ward 86’s low-barrier POP-UP clinic serving people experiencing homelessness). This work has led to her current focus on expanding access to treatment for stimulant use disorder and supporting HIV medication adherence. As a BIRCWH scholar, Dr. Appa will be implementing and evaluating contingency management in the Women’s Clinic at the Ward 86 HIV clinic, adapting this incentive-based intervention to simultaneously support reduced stimulant use and improved HIV medication adherence. These results will inform the optimal integration of stimulant use disorder treatment into HIV/ID care settings while also centering the experience of women with HIV and stimulant use disorder.
Anita Hargrave
Dr. Hargrave is a general internist who is committed to a career in patient-oriented research aimed at improving health outcomes for women and people who have experienced trauma through identifying and addressing gaps in care using implementation science strategies. As a fellow in the National Clinicians Scholars Program (NCSP) she used qualitative and quantitative methods to characterize the impact of trauma and interpersonal violence on women’s health. This work included evaluating the association between trauma and PTSD with cardiovascular disease (CVD). CVD is the leading cause of death and disability for women in the U.S. and yet, many women have inadequate control of traditional CVD risk factors. As a BIRCWH Scholar, Dr. Hargrave will evaluate the impact of trauma and other patient and system-level characteristics on treatment patterns and prevalence of CVD risk factors. The findings generated from this study will identify primary performance gaps in management of CVD risk factors for women and the factors that predict treatment and/or adherence to evidence-based interventions. The information will be used to create, adapt, and evaluate future health programs aimed at improving the cardiovascular health of women and incorporating trauma-informed cardiovascular care practices.