Adam Viera, MPH

With over fifteen years of professional experience in the fields of HIV prevention and harm reduction, Mr. Viera has a demonstrated interest in improving the evidence around the effectiveness of interventions that prevent HIV transmission by addressing drug use. His particular research interests are in the design, adaptation, and evaluation of harm reduction interventions to address substance use and its health consequences. Mr. Viera is in his third year of the PhD program in Social and Behavioral Sciences at Yale University. Formerly a pre-doctoral fellow with the Center on Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (T32MH02003116A1, Kershaw), he has conducted research focused on developing a social network intervention to promote uptake of pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention, under the guidance of Dr. Trace Kershaw. He has also worked on projects with Dr. Robert Heimer, developing and pilot testing an intervention to prevent hepatitis C virus reinfection and evaluating a pilot project continuing methadone treatment during incarceration among individuals with opioid use disorder.

Currently, Mr. Viera is working with Dr. E. Jen Edelman on an ongoing hybrid type-1 trial testing the effectiveness of a stepped care contingency management and navigation intervention (CoMPASS) on linking people who inject drugs to pre-exposure prophylaxis for HIV prevention and medications for opioid use disorder. He is also working with Dr. Kershaw on the RENEW project, which explores how contextual factors relate to return to alcohol use among individuals released from treatment for substance use disorders. Mr. Viera will build on this parent study to support his own NIAAA-funded research (1F31AA028992) to develop and pilot test an app-based intervention for individuals engaging in co-occurring alcohol and opioid use.