Perceptions of Multipurpose Prevention Technologies Aimed at HIV/STI/unintended pregnancy among African-American Women in the Deep South

项目摘要 本NIH F31- Diversity申请的目的是为PI Kristina Tymes-Wilbekin获得支持， 在她的MD/PhD培训中指导研究和职业发展活动，这将提高她的潜力 成为一名成功的医学科学家该项目的目标是培养传染病方面的技能 流行病学和生殖健康，使PI能够研究行为和社会文化因素， 使用混合方法研究影响妇女与性健康结果相关的经历和决定 应用.研究计划的主要目的是调查以下因素之间的潜在关系： 阴道卫生、性行为和采用基于环的多用途预防技术， 意外怀孕和感染/传播性传播感染风险增加的妇女 或者艾滋病病毒感染目前，新的阴道环正在开发和测试，作为多用途预防 用作激素避孕药并可预防/治疗性传播感染或艾滋病毒的技术 感染本项目特别关注在阴道环的背景下了解这些因素 分娩，因为证明了连续避孕阴道环（CVR）方案具有潜在的 非避孕和药理学的好处，可以增加妇女的坚持。本项目谋求 定量描述使用CVR前后肯尼亚女性对月经抑制的感知 (Aim 1），然后利用研究结果开发和应用工具，以评估类似的看法， 美国东南部的非洲裔美国妇女（目标2A和2B）。我们研究的长期目标是 是为了更好地了解妇女的经验，以告知多用途预防技术 发展和改善高危人群的性健康选择。 PI的拟议培训计划由其项目共同导师Jeanne Marrazzo博士和 博士萨迪普·施雷斯塔培训计划包括在三个主要领域帮助发展PI的目标： (1)在性传播感染/艾滋病毒、避孕和多用途预防技术领域进行严格的研究，包括 熟悉现有文献，批判性地评价已发表的研究，科学完整性原则， 负责任的研究行为，方法或严谨性和可重复性;（2）传染病 流行病学，包括方法学，研究设计和生物统计分析;（3）职业和专业 发展，包括通过演讲，期刊文章评论，赠款学习技能进行交流 写作和翻译临床应用的研究结果。本培训计划的总体目标是 为PI作为一名医生科学家的成功发展奠定基础，并促进PI的最终发展。 职业目标是与一个协作团队合作，弥合流行病学研究与 改善妇女的生殖健康和性健康成果。

PROJECT SUMMARY The purpose of this NIH F31- Diversity application is to obtain support for the PI, Kristina Tymes-Wilbekin, for mentored research and career development activities within her MD/PhD training that will enhance her potential to become a successful physician scientist. The project goal is to develop skills in infectious disease epidemiology and reproductive health that will allow the PI to study behavioral and socio-cultural factors that influence women’s experiences and decisions related to sexual health outcomes using mixed method study applications. The primary objective of the research proposal is to investigate potential relationships between vaginal hygiene, sexual behaviors and uptake of ring-based multipurpose prevention technologies among women at increased risk of unintended pregnancy and acquisition/transmission of sexually transmitted infections or HIV infection. Currently new vaginal rings are being developed and tested as multipurpose prevention technologies that act as a hormonal contraceptive and can prevent/treat sexually transmitted infections or HIV infection. This project is specifically focused on understanding these factors in the context of intravaginal ring delivery, due to a demonstration that a continuous contraceptive vaginal ring (CVR) regimen has potential noncontraceptive and pharmacological benefits that can increase women’s adherence. This project seeks to quantitatively characterize perception of menstrual suppression among Kenyan women pre- and post-CVR use (Aim 1), and then utilize the findings for development and application of a tool to assess similar perceptions in African-American women in the Southeastern U.S. (Aims 2A and 2B). The long-term objective of our research is to better understand women’s experience with CVRs in order to inform multipurpose prevention technology development and improve sexual health options among high-risk populations. The proposed training plan for the PI is sponsored by her project co-mentors, Dr. Jeanne Marrazzo and Dr. Sadeep Shrestha. Included within the training plan are objectives to help develop the PI in three major areas: (1) rigorous research in the STI/HIV, contraception, and multipurpose prevention technology fields, including familiarity with the existing literature, critically evaluating published studies, principles of scientific integrity and responsible conduct of research, and methods or rigor and reproducibility; and (2) infectious disease epidemiology, including methodology, study design, and biostatistical analysis; and (3) career and professional development, inclusive of communication through presentations, journal article review, learning skills in grant writing, and translation of research findings for clinical applications. The overall goal of this training plan is to give the PI a foundation for a successful progression as a physician scientist and furthering the PI’s ultimate career goal of working with a collaborative team that bridges the gap between epidemiological research and improvement in women’s reproductive and sexual health outcomes.