LaRon Nelson

PhD, RN, FNP

Affiliate Scientist

Biography

Dr. LaRon Nelson is a public health nurse and family nurse practitioner. He is a Scientist in MAP Centre for Urban Health Solutions of the Li Ka Shing Knowledge Institute at St. Michael’s Hospital and the inaugural holder of the OHTN Research Chair in HIV Program Science with African, Caribbean and Black Communities. Dr. Nelson’s domestic and international research investigates strategies to reduce race and sexuality-based disparities in HIV outcomes. He is recognized as the world’s leading authority on the application of self-determination theory for HIV prevention and care. He is also trailblazing the use of a rapid psychological trauma recovery intervention to reduce the negative impacts of stigma and trauma on HIV outcomes in African and African diaspora communities.

Dr. Nelson’s work has influenced US foreign health policy on the decision to MSM in its key population targets for prevention services in West Africa. He has been invited to the White House on numerous occasions to provide consultation on setting research priorities for addressing stigma to improve HIV prevention and care outcomes in the US and sub-Saharan Africa. He was named one of Canada’s Rising Stars in Global Health for his groundbreaking research in Ghana and was honoured by the Association of Nurses in AIDS Care with the Excellence in HIV Prevention Award. Dr. Nelson is also a Fellow in the American Academy of Nursing. His work has been featured in the Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership as well Canadian media outlets such as Poz Magazine, Outwards Magazine, Toronto Star newspaper, and Healthy Debate.

Recent Publications

  1. Reeves, JM, Zigah, EY, Shamrock, OW, Aidoo-Frimpong, G, Dada, D, Batten, J et al.. Investigating the impact of stigma, accessibility and confidentiality on STI/STD/HIV self-testing among college students in the USA: protocol for a scoping review. BMJ Open. 2023;13 (2):e069574. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2022-069574. PubMed PMID:36792328 PubMed Central PMC9933744.
  2. Smith, MDR, Leblanc, NM, Nelson, LE, McMahon, JM. Autonomy-supportive sexual health communication and sexual health behaviors for black and Latino MSM in the House Ball Community: Protocol for a social network analysis and exploratory structural equation model. PLoS One. 2023;18 (2):e0276350. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0276350. PubMed PMID:36735668 PubMed Central PMC9897560.
  3. Saalim, K, Amu-Adu, P, Amoh-Otu, RP, Akrong, R, Abu-Ba'are, GR, Stockton, MA et al.. Multi-level manifestations of sexual stigma among men with same-gender sexual experience in Ghana. BMC Public Health. 2023;23 (1):166. doi: 10.1186/s12889-023-15087-y. PubMed PMID:36694150 PubMed Central PMC9872747.
  4. Hirshfield, S, Birnbaum, JM, Turner, D, Roberson, M, Bailey, MM, Smith, MDR et al.. An Innovative Adaptation of an HIV Status-Neutral, Community-Informed, Socioemotional Asset-Building Intervention With the House Ball Community. Health Promot Pract. 2023;24 (3):398-400. doi: 10.1177/15248399221140794. PubMed PMID:36524579 .
  5. Nelson, LE, Ogunbajo, A, Abu-Ba'are, GR, Conserve, DF, Wilton, L, Ndenkeh, JJ et al.. Correction to: Using the Implementation Research Logic Model as a Lens to View Experiences of Implementing HIV Prevention and Care Interventions with Adolescent Sexual Minority Men-A Global Perspective. AIDS Behav. 2023;27 (Suppl 1):144. doi: 10.1007/s10461-022-03823-1. PubMed PMID:36098847 PubMed Central PMC10192181.
  6. Nelson, LE, Ogunbajo, A, Abu-Ba'are, GR, Conserve, DF, Wilton, L, Ndenkeh, JJ et al.. Using the Implementation Research Logic Model as a Lens to View Experiences of Implementing HIV Prevention and Care Interventions with Adolescent Sexual Minority Men-A Global Perspective. AIDS Behav. 2023;27 (Suppl 1):128-143. doi: 10.1007/s10461-022-03776-5. PubMed PMID:35947235 PubMed Central PMC10191897.
  7. Gu, LY, Zhang, N, Mayer, KH, McMahon, JM, Nam, S, Conserve, DF et al.. Autonomy-Supportive Healthcare Climate and HIV-Related Stigma Predict Linkage to HIV Care in Men Who Have Sex With Men in Ghana, West Africa. J Int Assoc Provid AIDS Care. 2021;20 :2325958220978113. doi: 10.1177/2325958220978113. PubMed PMID:33733909 PubMed Central PMC7983411.
  8. Nelson, LE, Ajiboye, W, Djiadeu, P, Odhiambo, AJ, Pedersen, C, Ramos, SR et al.. A Web-Based Intervention to Reduce Decision Conflict Regarding HIV Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis: Protocol for a Clinical Trial. JMIR Res Protoc. 2020;9 (6):e15080. doi: 10.2196/15080. PubMed PMID:32348250 PubMed Central PMC7324994.
  9. Ogunbajo, A, Leblanc, NM, Kushwaha, S, Boakye, F, Hanson, S, Smith, MDR et al.. Knowledge and Acceptability of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among men who have sex with men (MSM) in Ghana. AIDS Care. 2020;32 (3):330-336. doi: 10.1080/09540121.2019.1675858. PubMed PMID:31597455 PubMed Central PMC6980967.
  10. Zhabokritsky, A, Nelson, LE, Tharao, W, Husbands, W, Sa, T, Zhang, N et al.. Barriers to HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among African, Caribbean and Black men in Toronto, Canada. PLoS One. 2019;14 (3):e0213740. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0213740. PubMed PMID:30925582 PubMed Central PMC6440797.
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Affiliations & Other Activities

  • Assistant Professor, School of Nursing, University of Rochester