Opportunity statement: Key topics discussed in this article were previously presented at the Center for AIDS Research Social and Behavioral Sciences Network's 12th National Scientific Meeting in August 2018. This article highlights the importance of behavioral and social sciences research (BSSR) in addressing the HIV/AIDS pandemic.
Approach: NIH has made significant investments in HIV/AIDS-related BSSR. These investments support the development of effective, evidence-based sociobehavioral HIV prevention, treatment, and care strategies.
Discussion: The implementation and use of evidence-based sociobehavioral approaches in combination with biomedical strategies provide the availability of multiple tools to end the HIV epidemic in the United Sates and the pandemic globally.
Future directions: BSSR-related opportunities to mitigate the persistent challenges HIV/AIDS presents include, but are not limited to, further incorporating BSSR into HIV vaccine and cure research; improving interventions that address stigma and the social determinants of health that perpetuate HIV transmission within key populations; and conducting implementation science research that shapes national and international policies impacting HIV prevention, treatment, and care.