MOTIVATIONAL HIV PREVENTION INTERVENTION FOR YOUNG WOMEN

市中心的异性恋少女是艾滋病毒感染增长最快的人群之一。迫切需要制定和评估针对市中心年轻女性的艾滋病毒预防干预措施。增强妇女改变意愿的干预措施可能更有效。研究支持使用信息-动机-行为技能（IMB）模型降低艾滋病毒风险的干预措施。拟议的研究将修改和定义针对15-19岁的市中心妇女的IMB艾滋病毒预防干预措施。为此，候选人将在HIV预防专家Michael Carey博士的赞助下争取K01奖。培训将包括跨学科课程和经验，以培养：(a)复杂数据分析技能；(b)更好地理解与艾滋病毒预防有关的社会心理学、行为和发展理论；(c)在开发、实施和评估临床干预研究方面的专业知识；(d)一项可资助的关于在市中心有风险的年轻妇女中减少艾滋病毒风险的RO1建议。这一培训将应用于一个小规模的实验前测试后测试设计，对象是市中心的妇女（N=48）。经过试点测试和预测试评估，参与者将随机分为IMB干预组或结构等效的健康促进对照组。四个IMB课程将教授教育、激励和行为技巧；对照组会议将侧重于与发展相适应的健康主题（如营养、压力管理）。通过测试后评估和焦点小组，研究人员将分析数据（对时间影响的敏感性），比较组内和组间测试前和测试后的分数，并从定性数据中确定代码和主题。研究结果将用于制定R01建议，以充分测试修改后的干预措施。K01奖将提高候选人的研究知识和技能，使她成为一名独立的研究者，帮助年轻女性改变危险的性行为，从而降低她们感染艾滋病毒的风险。

Inner-city heterosexual teenage women are among the fastest growing populations acquiring HIV infection. There is an urgent need to develop and evaluate HIV prevention interventions targeted to young inner-city females. Interventions that enhance a woman's readiness to change may be more effective. Research supports interventions for reducing HIV risk using the information-motivation-behavioral skills (IMB) model. The proposed study will modify and define an IMB HIV-prevention intervention for inner-city women ages 15-19 years. To do this, the candidate will pursue a K01 award with an expert HIV prevention scientist, Dr. Michael Carey, as sponsor. Training will consist of interdisciplinary course work and experiences that develop: (a) complex data analysis skills; (b) a greater understanding of social psychology, behavioral, and developmental theories related to HIV prevention; (c) expertise in developing, implementing, and evaluating clinical intervention studies; and (d) a fundable RO1 proposal on HIV risk reduction in inner-city at-risk young women. This training will be applied in a small scale experimental pre-test post-test design with inner-city women (N=48). Following pilot testing and pre-testing assessments, participants will randomized into the IMB intervention or the structurally equivalent health promotion control group. Four IMB sessions will teach educational, motivation, and behavioral skills; the control group sessions will focus on developmentally appropriate health topics (e.g. Nutrition, stress management). From post- test assessments and focus groups, researchers will analyze data, (sensitize to effects over time), to compare pre- and post-test scores within and between groups, and identify codes and themes from qualitative data. Findings will be used to develop an R01 proposal to fully test the modified intervention. This K01 award will enhance the candidate's research knowledge and skills, launching her as an independent investigator helping young women change risky sexual behaviors and thus reduce their risk of HIV infection.