A Review of the Impact of Social Determinants of Health on HIV/AIDS Transmission Dynamics in Urban U.S. Communities

Authors: Henry Ahumaraezemma Ogu, Jochebed Akoto Opoku

DOI: https://doi.org/10.37082/IJIRMPS.v14.i2.233008

Short DOI: https://doi.org/hbsnz3

Country: United States

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Abstract: HIV/AIDS continues to disproportionately affect vulnerable populations in urban U.S. communities despite major biomedical advances. This review summarizes current research on how socioeconomic determinants of health (SDOH), such as poverty, education, housing instability, stigma, and healthcare access, influence HIV transmission dynamics and treatment outcomes. These structural factors influence risk behaviors, network configurations, and engagement across the HIV care continuum, sustaining localized micro-epidemics. We synthesize evidence linking SDOH to proximal behaviors and care outcomes and explore modeling approaches that integrate these determinants. Traditional compartmental models often overlook heterogeneity introduced by SDOH, while agent-based, network, and hybrid models provide richer representations of social and structural influences. Incorporating SDOH into mechanistic models improves accuracy and policy relevance by explicitly parameterizing pathways through which social conditions alter exposure and care retention. This enables evaluation of structural interventions, such as housing programs, stigma reduction campaigns, and expanded healthcare access, alongside biomedical strategies. Evidence suggests that addressing upstream determinants yields greater population-level impact than behavioral interventions alone. We argue for a paradigm shift that frames HIV not only as a biomedical challenge but as a social epidemic rooted in inequity. Advancing SDOH-informed modeling requires localized data, interdisciplinary collaboration, and computational innovations to guide equitable and effective public health responses.

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Paper Id: 233008

Published On: 2026-03-15

Published In: Volume 14, Issue 2, March-April 2026

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