Minority Pre-doctoral Fellowship Program

描述（由申请人提供）：申请人的论文研究将涉及影响人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）在妇女中的异性传播以及艾滋病毒通过母乳从母亲垂直传播给子女的行为，社会文化和政治因素的主题-撒哈拉以南非洲。通过对文献的回顾以及与该领域研究人员的交流，申请人发现，很少有已发表的研究调查这些问题，也很少有文化上适当的干预措施来解决这些问题。由于这是她的博士课程的第一年，申请人还没有选择她的论文题目，她的赞助商强烈建议她完成课程学习国际问题，先进的研究方法和健康行为实践和原则，然后再宣布论文题目。申请人计划选择一个特定的论文主题，并在博士课程的第二年结束时制定一个完整的研究计划。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The applicant's dissertation research will be on a topic related to the behavioral, sociocultural and political factors that influence the heterosexual transmission of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) among women and the vertical transmission of HIV from mothers to their children via breast milk in sub- Saharan Africa. From a review of the literature and communication with researchers in the field, the applicant has found that there is a paucity of published research investigating these issues, and few culturally appropriate interventions addressing these issues. Since this is her first year of the doctoral program, the applicant has not chosen her dissertation topic and her sponsor has strongly suggested that she complete course work studying international issues, advanced research methods and health behavior practice and principles before declaring a dissertation topic. The applicant plans to select a specific dissertation topic and develop a complete research proposal at the end of her second year in the doctoral program.