About

Homero E. del Pino is an Adjunct Professor in the Departments of Medicine and Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences at UCLA. His educational background includes a BA in Philosophy from Cornell University, and both an MA and a PhD in Philosophy, as well as an MS in Clinical Research from UCLA. His research focuses on public health issues related to HIV/AIDS, substance use, sexual and behavioral health among Latino sexual minority men, and community-based participatory research. He has contributed to studies on increasing PrEP uptake, examining the impact of sibling relationships on health behaviors, and exploring stigma, family support, and mental health among Latinx populations. His work often involves community engagement and aims to develop interventions to improve health outcomes in marginalized communities.

Research topics

• Medicine
• Psychology
• Gerontology
• Demography
• Social psychology

Selected publications

• Ethical Issues in Treating Substance Use Disorders: Counselor Perspectives

  Journal of Psychoactive Drugs · 2024-08-30

  articleOpen access

  Ethical issues arise frequently in the treatment of substance use disorders (SUD). Counselors need guidance to navigate ethical dilemmas but receive limited training in resolving ethical issues. To narrow the gap between the ethical dilemmas counselors face and their training, this qualitative study assessed ethical issues that counselors encounter, how they resolve them, and desired training. We conducted qualitative individual interviews with 20 front-line counselors working in two SUD treatment programs, presenting brief vignettes that depicted the ethics code of the national organization representing SUD counselors. The interviews asked open-ended questions about how counselors dealt with issues and their ideas for future ethics training. All participants had encountered ethical dilemmas. Areas of concern included confidentiality and privacy, mandatory reporting, fairness/equity, client-counselor boundaries, tensions between workplace and client welfare, and meeting clients' complex needs. Ways participants resolved ethical issues included consultations, using direct approaches to resolve ethical dilemmas, and commitment to providing client-centered care. Useful training in the workplace was sparse. Participants expressed needs for ongoing support to resolve workplace ethical dilemmas. Although the importance of ethical issues is widely acknowledged in treating SUD, this study underscores the need for ongoing and interactive training and supervision about ethical issues.

  PublisherDOI

• The Impact of Sibling Relationships on Behavioral and Sexual Health among Latino Sexual Minority Men

  Archives of Sexual Behavior · 2024-03-29 · 5 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) is a highly effective method for preventing HIV acquisition and plays a crucial role in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the US initiative. However, there are various barriers that hinder the access and uptake of PrEP among Latino sexual minority men (SMM) at individual, interpersonal, and cultural levels. While the significance of cultural factors in designing and implementing HIV prevention programs for Latino populations has been consistently emphasized in the literature and prioritized by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, few studies have directly integrated these cultural factors into their programs. Our study aimed to investigate the potential influence of siblings in promoting the utilization of PrEP for HIV prevention, an area that has received limited attention. We conducted interviews with 31 pairs of siblings between December 2020 and January 2021, which were held in either English or Spanish and lasted approximately 45-60 min. The data were analyzed using a deductive thematic content analysis approach. The interviews revealed several key themes and categories, including: (1) Sibling support for coming out; (2) Types of support that siblings provide to each other for behavior change; (3) Sibling support for PrEP; and (4) The impact of the study interview on the quality of the sibling relationships. Our findings indicated that siblings were willing to provide support for PrEP in various ways, ranging from emotional support for brothers who may be concerned about potential rejection to practical support such as transportation or financial assistance. These results have significant implications for the design of HIV prevention interventions for Latinos. Incorporating siblings or other extended family members into these interventions can facilitate communication between siblings and their brothers, ultimately encouraging the use of PrEP or similar prevention methods. By considering the unique dynamics and support systems within Latino communities, researchers can develop more effective strategies to promote HIV prevention and support the well-being of Latino SMM.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Pilot Study of a Sibling-Based Online Intervention to Increase PrEP Uptake and Willingness Among Latino MSM

  AIDS Education and Prevention · 2024-10-01 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  This study explored the feasibility and acceptability of Entre Herman@s, a novel sibling-based intervention designed to engage siblings to increase PrEP utilization among Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM). Siblings were trained in rudimentary motivational interviewing skills to uncover, evoke, and strengthen their brother's motivation to use PrEP, using the constructs of the Information-Motivation-Behavioral Skills (IMB) model for health behavior change. This pilot demonstrated high feasibility, meeting recruitment, retention, and intervention completion targets. Of the 23 LMSM enrolled, 16 (70%) commenced PrEP, with 12 (75%) continuing at the 3-month follow-up. Initially, 15 participants (65%) were open to PrEP, with 9 (39%) ready to start within the next month. Those who began PrEP use reported a significantly higher degree of closeness to their siblings (p = .019) than those who did not. All LMSMs affirmed that their decision to use PrEP was influenced to some degree by their sibling.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Drug Use, Family Support, and Depressive Symptoms Among Latinx Sexual Minority Men: A Longitudinal Analysis

  AIDS and Behavior · 2023-06-12 · 4 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Family rejection has negative health consequences for Latinx sexual minority men (LSMM). However, LSMM often reconcile with their families, a phenomenon cross-sectional studies miss. We analyzed longitudinal data from the Healthy Young Men's Study in Los Angeles. We used individual fixed-effects Poisson regression to model changes over time in the associations among family support, drug use, and depressive symptoms. We found that (1) the initiation of drug use was associated with a 7.2% (Ratio=1.072, 95% CI 1.006 - 1.142, p = 0.03) increase in family support among LSMM who reported high depressive symptoms (depression subscale T-score ≥ 63) in at least one data wave; (2) a 1-unit increase in family support was associated with a 4.7% (RR = ;0.953, 95% CI 0.931 - 0.976, p < 0.001) decrease in the probability of high depressive symptoms; and (3) no significant association between a change in drug use and a change in high depressive symptoms. Over time, LSMM appear to benefit from the health effects of family support associated with Latinx family structures.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Would the Siblings of Latinx Men Who Have Sex With Men Encourage Their Brothers to Use PrEP? Findings From a Feasibility and Acceptability Study

  AIDS Education and Prevention · 2023-10-01 · 3 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  We explored whether siblings can be engaged in PrEP promotion. We used the Information-Motivation-Behavior model to develop and conduct surveys and dyadic interviews with Latino men who have sex with men (LMSM) and their siblings (n = 31) and three sibling-only focus groups (n = 20). For LMSM, only n = 14 (45%) agreed they would benefit from taking PrEP, yet n = 22 (71%) would take PrEP to make their sibling worry less about them, and n = 23 (74%) requested a PrEP referral. For siblings, n = 20 (65%) believed PrEP would benefit their brother, and n = 19 (95%) in the focus groups said they would take PrEP to help their brother get started. Qualitative results include (1) siblings’ support for PrEP use, (2) explicit conversations about sex were not necessary for discussing sexual health, and (3) siblings wanted to understand what they could do to encourage their brother to consider PrEP. We conclude siblings can be engaged in PrEP promotion.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Measuring Gender Role Conflict, Internalized Stigma, and Racial and Sexual Identity in Behaviorally Bisexual Black Men

  Archives of Sexual Behavior · 2021-06-16 · 15 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Black men who have sex with men and women (BMSMW) experience pressure to fill hypermasculine ideals and may not identify with "gay" cultural norms. Existing measures of gender role expectations and internalized homophobia are not culturally appropriate for BMSMW. Researchers generally measure categorical identification with race, gender, and sexual orientation groups separately, whereas BMSMW may identify with multiple categories. We modified the Gender Role Conflict Scale to create the M-GRCS and the Internalized Homophobia Scale to include biphobia (Internalized Bi/Homophobia Scale, IBHS). To examine identification at the intersection of race, gender, and sexual orientation, we created 11 Integrated Race and Sexuality Scale (IRSS) items. With data from 429 BMSMW, we conducted exploratory factor analysis of the 59 items using categorical principal axis factoring with unweighted least squares extraction and Promax factor rotation. We created simple-summated multi-item scales and evaluated their construct validity. The rotated solution yielded four factors with 47 items and a simple factor structure: M-GRCS defined two factors (α = .93 for restricted emotionality/affection; .87 for success/power/competition); the IBHS (α = .89) and IRSS (α = .74) each defined a single factor. The IRSS factor was positively correlated with the Lukwago Racial Pride Scale, r(417) = .40. The IBHS factor was negatively correlated with the IRSS factor, r(414) = - .22. The two M-GRCS factors suggest that the construct of hypermasculinity impacts BMSMW. The high IBHS reliability indicates that homophobia and biphobia were positively correlated in this sample. These three scales have potential for future studies with BMSMW.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• “Being downcast by society… adds to the stress levels and would explain why [we] smoke more.”: Smoking among HIV-positive Black men who have sex with men

  Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services · 2020-08-03 · 9 citations

  articleOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Smoking causes more deaths among people living with HIV than HIV infection itself. Few smoking cessation interventions and studies of sexual minority communities have considered the lived experiences of Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) living with HIV. Before developing interventions for these men, we need to answer: How do experiences of discrimination and stigma influence their perceptions of smoking? This phenomenological study was led by a community-based organization. We conducted six focus groups with 53 BMSM living with HIV in Los Angeles. We used minority stress theory in the analysis and interpretation of the data. We identified two themes: (1) co-occurrence of race and sexual orientation stressors and smoking (e.g., "I feel like I'd be discriminated against sometimes because I'm gay and because I'm Black.") and (2) smoking as a reaction to HIV-positive status (e.g., "I know more people that started smoking after they found out they [had] HIV."). Participants smoked to cope with stressors around race, sexual orientation, and living with HIV. These findings challenge us to ensure that smoking cessation interventions address the personal and social concerns of BMSM living with HIV and help them identify healthier ways to cope with stressors.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• A Modified Alcohol SBI for Use among Older Adults Living with HIV

  Western Journal of Nursing Research · 2020-04-02

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  Older adults living with HIV may have health conditions that amplify the potentially negative health effects of alcohol use. We adapted the Comorbidity Alcohol Risk Evaluation Tool (CARET) screening tool for at-risk drinking to reflect HIV/AIDS and related conditions, medications, and behaviors. The adapted CARET-HIV along with a brief intervention was administered to 27 older men living with HIV. The CARET-HIV identified the same number of at-risk drinkers as the original CARET (n = 24) but identified more risk domains. Most participants welcomed receiving information about risks associated with their drinking, but some felt "embarrassed" or "guilty" discussing their drinking. This is particularly salient within the context of HIV discourse, which has historically assigned blame of HIV infection on personal choices. The SBI was generally acceptable to participants. The modified CARET can help providers integrate discussion of alcohol use into the context of HIV care for personalized feedback.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Health and Social Service Implications of a Census Undercount in Los Angeles

  eScholarship (California Digital Library) · 2020-03-26

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The U.S. census is the constitutionally required count of every person living in the United States every 10 years, conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau. Experts have documented that Latinos are among the most likely to be undercounted. The count is used to draw legislative boundaries and to distribute billions of public dollars at the national, state, and local levels.This brief provides findings from a survey of 100 of the key stakeholders and service providers in Los Angeles County (LAC) most likely to be impacted by an undercount, and it also provides estimates of the funding that the county risks losing for health care and health-related services if there is an undercount in the upcoming census. We found that 89% of 37 community-based organizations and 75% of 16 government agencies and health systems are concerned about an undercount and are, or will be, conducting census outreach to promote an accurate count. Across all programs in the county, we estimate that LAC could lose anywhere from $117 million to $586 million annually in federal funding if Latinos are undercounted by 2% to 10% percent, or nearly half a million individuals, in the upcoming census. This loss of funds would impact services received by all populations. These data document the importance of assuring that everyone is counted by the census.This study is funded in part by the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences through UCLA CTSI Grant UL1TR001881 and the UCLA Resource Center for Minority Aging Research/Center for Health Improvement of Minority Elderly (RCMAR/CHIME) Grant AG021684.

  Publisher

• Comorbidity Alcohol Risk Evaluation Tool--HIV

  PsycTESTS Dataset · 2020-01-01

  datasetSenior author
  PublisherDOI

Recent grants

• Center for Accelerating Excellence in Translational Science (AXIS)

  NIH · $97.5M · 2009–2029

• CHIME Leadership and Administrative Core

  NIH · $2.3M · 2002–2028

Frequent coauthors

• Nina T. Harawa

  Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

  15 shared

• Jagadīśa-devaśrī Dācus

  12 shared

• George Ayala

  12 shared

• Katherine L. Kahn

  University of California, Los Angeles

  11 shared

• Alison Moore

  University of California, San Diego

  10 shared

• Keith C. Norris

  University of California, Los Angeles

  10 shared

• Roberto Vargas

  Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science

  9 shared

• Jordan E. Lake

  The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

  9 shared

Education

• M.S., Biomathematics

  David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA

  2016

• Ph.D., Philosophy

  University of California Los Angeles

  2006

• B.A., Philosophy

  Cornell University

  1994