Community-Based Research

The Community-Based Research (CBR) unit at AIDS Project Los Angeles provides culturally, linguistically and gender-appropriate research designed to improve services to people, communities and institutions affected by HIV/AIDS. The program also serves as a resource to other organizations conducting community-based research.

Housed within APLA's Education Department, the CBR unit is one of few programs of its kind operating within an AIDS service organization.

Applied research at APLA's CBR program explores topics including: sexual risk and health behaviors; HIV/AIDS treatment education; Medicare policy; substance use; social and cultural factors shaping HIV risk for gay men of color; health disparities; and social stigma and discrimination.

Study findings are used to develop new services, improve existing ones and highlight trends in the field. APLA CBR findings have been presented at local, statewide, national and international levels.

Funding sources for APLA's CBR unit include the Universitywide AIDS Research Program (UARP), the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) AIDS Institute and the National Institutes of Health. Collaborative research partners include: UCLA; RAND Corporation; California State University, Dominguez Hills; San Francisco State University, Cesar Chavez Institute; and the University of California, San Francisco.

APLA also supports its own federally recognized Institutional Review Board (IRB). The CBR unit is staffed by researchers at the M.D. and Ph.D. levels; three study coordinators; two research assistants; one IRB coordinator and interns.

Please use the links below to access our peer-reviewed or scholarly staff publications.

For more information, please contact Matt G. Mutchler, Ph.D. at 213.201.1522 or send an e-mail.

Peer-Reviewed Scholarly Publications

“Making Space for Safer Sex”
Mutchler, M. (2000), AIDS Education and Prevention. 12: 1  

“Gay Bathhouses and Public Policy”
Mutchler, M. (2003), Journal of Homosexuality. 44

“Gay-Boy Talk: Discourse for Stopping HIV Infections Among Young Gay Men”
Mutchler, M. (2003), Scarlet Letters. 2-6

“Seeking Sexual Lives: Gay Youth and Masculinity Tensions”
Mutchler, M. (2000), Gay Masculinities. 2: 12-43

“Gay-Boy Talk: Discourse for Stopping HIV Infections Among Young Gay Men”
Mutchler et. al. (2004), Siecus Report. 32: 31-34

Who We Are

Researchers / Staff

George Ayala, Psy.D.
Miguel Chion, M.D., M.P.H.
Jeanette Diaz
Evelyn Gonzalez-Figueroa, Ph.D.
Jaime Guttierez, M.P.H.
Lauren Kirkpatrick, M.A.
Tara McKay, B.A.
Tony Moreno, IRB Coordinator
Matt G. Mutchler, Ph.D.
Jeffrey W. Sweat, Ph.D.
James Thing, M.A.
Vallerie Wagner, M.S.