Associate Professor
University of Maryland School of Social Work
Dr. Whitfield is Associate Professor of Social Work at the University of Maryland Baltimore. His primary research focus is on understanding the impact of psychosocial and structural factors on health and mental health outcomes among Black sexual minority men (SMM) and LGBTQ people of color. Dr. Whitfield has extensive experience conducting research with young Black SMM on the pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) adherence and psychosocial factors including examining the role of internalized stigma on PrEP use among Black SMM in the United States, correlates of sexually transmitted infections among Black SMM, the influence of risk compensation on PrEP adherence among Black SMM, and the importance of autonomy in PrEP adherence. Dr. Whitfield has received funding from the National Institute of Mental Health, National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities, SAMHSA, and Gilead Sciences. Currently, he is leading studies on increase PrEP adherence among young Black MSM (R01MH134721), developing an intervention to improve the prevention cascade among Black transgender women (Gilead Sciences Inc.), and address barriers to anal cancer screening among Black transgender women (5UL1TR003098). Currently, he chair the Council on Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Expression for the Council on Social Work Education and is a member of the HIV Prevention Trial Network (HPTN) 096 protocol team, an integrated strategy project to reduce new HIV infections and increase retention to HIV care for Black SMM living in the Southern United States.
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