Efficacy of the Young Women's CoOp: An HIV Risk-Reduction Intervention for Substance-Using African-American Female Adolescents in the South

HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) risk-reduction interventions are needed to address the complex risk behaviors among African-American female adolescents in disadvantaged communities in North Carolina. In a two-group randomized trial, we reached 237 sexually active, substance-using African-American female adolescents, to test a risk-reduction intervention, the Young Women’s CoOp (YWC), relative to a nutrition control. In efficacy analyses adjusting for baseline condom use, at three-month follow-up participants in the YWC were significantly less likely to report sex without a condom at last sex relative to control. There were mixed findings for within-group differences over follow-up, underscoring the challenges for intervening with substance-using female youths

Efficacy of an Adapted HIV and Sexually Transmitted Infection Prevention Intervention for Incarcerated Women: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Objectives. We tested the efficacy of an adapted evidence-based HIV–sexually transmitted infection (STI) behavioral intervention (Providing Opportunities for Women’s Empowerment, Risk-Reduction, and Relationships, or POWER) among incarcerated women

Innovative Triangulation Methods: Lessons Learned from Public Health Fieldwork

Triangulation is used to provide a more complete picture of a subject being studied, and to confirm the validity of findings using multiple data sources. Triangulation can also give researchers an opportunity for innovative study design and analysis. More often researchers are being asked to conduct research with limited resources (e.g. time, cost, effort), while striving to maintain rigorous inquiry. This workshop will use a case-study of a U.S. city delivering HIV services, to provide guidance on how to design an innovative mixed-methods study; and demonstrate how to develop an analysis strategy for confirmation and completeness. At the end of this workshop, participants will: 1) Understand the purposes of triangulation and how it can be used for rigorous inquiry; 2) Describe conditions that can foster innovative study design and analysis; 3) Identify common innovation and triangulation pitfalls

Designing (and Negotiating) an Interview Guide with Multiple Stakeholders for a Rapid Ethnographic Assessment

Rapid ethnographic assessment is a qualitative approach to data collection used to identify factors that contribute to poor health outcomes, and make recommendations for improving health services. Interview guide development within a rapid ethnographic assessment is often a team-effort, reflecting the vision and priorities of multiple stakeholders. It is a crucial step in qualitative inquiry in which much of the quality of data depends. This workshop will focus on key lessons learned in interview guide development for rapid ethnographic assessments, as well as practical fieldwork strategies for incorporating and negotiating the priorities of multiple stakeholders. Participants will gain knowledge and skills to guide each step of interview guide development, and ascertain what information their stakeholders really need and which line of inquiry may hinder the collection of rich data. In this workshop, participants will learn how to 1) Understand the purpose, structure and components of a qualitative interview guide; 2) Explore techniques to incorporate multiple stakeholders’ vision and priorities into an interview guide; 3) Craft answerable interview questions, and identify key issues around question development; and 4) Describe methods of piloting and revising a field-ready interview guide. In each section, we will use participatory learning activities to build core skills

Determinants of Successful Public-Private Partnerships in the Context of Overweight Prevention in Dutch Youth

Introduction A public-private partnership (PPP) is an essential component of the Dutch community-based approach toward overweight prevention, Youth on Healthy Weight (JOGG). Beginning in 2010, 25 Dutch municipalities have implemented JOGG, but little is known about determinants of successful partnerships. This study aims to identify these determinants to guide other municipalities or communities in creating successful partnerships. Methods Semistructured interviews were held in Veghel, a town in the southeast of the Netherlands, with private (n = 7) and public (n = 5) partners from the PPP involved in JOGG. We developed a themes and topics list that fit the purpose of our study. The interviews focused on the formation, functioning, and output of the partnership. Results Recruitment of partners was facilitated by using preexisting networks. Corporate social responsibility, belief in the JOGG approach, importance of the health issue, and strengthened contacts with other partners were important motivations for partners to participate. In addition to partnership functioning and output, enthusiastic and decisive management, shared commitment, joint responsibility, and effective internal communication were important to the partners, as were clear goals and concrete actions to achieve these goals. Conclusion To create successful partnerships, the program and its goals should appeal to the motivations of the partners. Involving partners in defining local program objectives can help to create shared commitment and joint responsibility. Further evaluation of partnerships’ impact on achieving program goals is a subsequent step to be taken to identify long-term determinants of successful PPPs

Adapted Personalized Cognitive Counseling for Episodic Substance-Using Men Who Have Sex with Men: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Episodic drug use and binge drinking are associated with HIV risk among substance-using men who have sex with men (SUMSM), yet no evidence-based interventions exist for these men. We adapted personalized cognitive counseling (PCC) to address self-justifications for high-risk sex among HIV-negative, episodic SUMSM, then randomized men to PCC (n = 162) with HIV testing or control (n = 164) with HIV testing alone. No significant between-group differences were found in the three primary study outcomes: number of unprotected anal intercourse events (UAI), number of UAI partners, and UAI with three most recent non-primary partners. In a planned subgroup analysis of non-substance dependent men, there were significant reductions in UAI with most recent non-primary partners among PCC participants (RR = 0.56; 95 %CI 0.34-0.92; P = 0.02). We did not find evidence that PCC reduced sexual risk behaviors overall, but observed significant reductions in UAI events among non-dependent SUMSM. PCC may be beneficial among SUMSM screening negative for substance dependence

Substance use and drinking outcomes in Personalized Cognitive Counseling randomized trial for episodic substance-using men who have sex with men

BackgroundNon-dependent alcohol and substance use patterns are prevalent among men who have sex with men (MSM), yet few effective interventions to reduce their substance use are available for these men. We evaluated whether an adapted brief counseling intervention aimed at reducing HIV risk behavior was associated with secondary benefits of reducing substance use among episodic substance-using MSM (SUMSM).Methods326 episodic SUMSM were randomized to brief Personalized Cognitive Counseling (PCC) intervention with rapid HIV testing or to rapid HIV testing only control. Both arms followed over 6 months. Trends in substance use were examined using GEE Poisson models with robust standard errors by arm. Reductions in frequency of use were examined using ordered logistic regression.ResultsIn intent-to-treat analyses, compared to men who received rapid HIV testing only, we found men randomized to PCC with rapid HIV testing were more likely to report abstaining from alcohol consumption (RR=0.93; 95% CI=0.89-0.97), marijuana use (RR=0.84; 95% CI=0.73-0.98), and erectile dysfunction drug use (EDD; RR=0.51; 95% CI=0.33-0.79) over the 6-month follow-up. PCC was also significantly associated with reductions in frequency of alcohol intoxication (OR=0.58; 95% CI=0.36-0.90) over follow-up. Furthermore, we found PCC was associated with significant reductions in number of unprotected anal intercourse events while under the influence of methamphetamine (RR=0.26; 95% CI=0.08-0.84).ConclusionThe addition of adapted PCC to rapid HIV testing may have benefits in increasing abstinence from certain classes of substances previously associated with HIV risk, including alcohol and EDD; and reducing alcohol intoxication frequency and high-risk sexual behaviors concurrent with methamphetamine use