In 2001, ACRIA launched a new research program in behavioral research to improve our understanding of those living with HIV, what their psychosocial needs are, and how we can most effectively support them in living longer, healthier lives, and happier lives. 

The Research on Older Adults with HIV (ROAH) study assessed a 1,000-person cohort in New York City, examining a comprehensive array of issues, including health status, stigma, depression, social networks, spirituality, sexual behavior, and substance abuse.  This first-in-the-nation effort has cemented ACRIA’s reputation as the preeminent authority and resource on the fast-growing population of people over fifty living with HIV. 

ACRIA’s ROAH program is a first step in establishing a valid and comprehensive knowledge base of the unique characteristics and needs of this growing population living with HIV/AIDS. This assessment will become increasingly important in developing informed strategies to best sustain the health and quality of life for this group of older adults.

The initial release of ROAH in 2006 caused an enormous media response followed by an increased awareness by academia, healthcare and government entities. Click here for a copy of the 2006 ROAH report. In fact, in a story on the front page of the Sunday New York Times of January 6, 2008, the newspaper of record said of ROAH, “The most comprehensive research has come from the AIDS Community Research Initiative of America….”

In 2009, an in-depth report of the ROAH study was released as a monograph by Nova Science Publishers entitled, “Older Adults with HIV: An In-depth Examination of an Emerging Population” (Brennan, Karpiak, Shippy, & Cantor, Eds.). For more information and to purchase this volume, click here.