PREVENTION FOR IMPOVERISHED YOUNG WOMEN IN SHELTERS

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Little is known about the transition to adulthood for adolescent females and young women who are impoverished and homeless, yet many of these individuals use illicit drugs, engage in risky sexual behaviors, and experience physical and sexual victimization. Evidence-based prevention approaches addressing these inter-related problems among young, impoverished women transitioning into adulthood are lacking. We are responding to RFA-DA-04-013, Prevention Research for the Transition to Adulthood. The present application is designed to meet the objectives of the Exploratory/Developmental Grants program (R21) for studies that will contribute to the development of future, more intensive and larger research programs. The objectives of the proposed research are to 1) enhance understanding of the transition to adulthood for impoverished adolescents and young women ages 18-25 who reside in homeless shelters, and 2) explore the feasibility of adapting an intervention from our previous work with adolescents for use with impoverished adolescents and young women in preventing and reducing drug use, HIV risk behaviors and victimization. This project will be our first step in an innovative line of research to address a critical gap in prevention services for impoverished adolescents and young women. Our Specific Aims are to (1) (Year 1) Gather information on the transition to adulthood and design an innovative prevention intervention for impoverished adolescents and young women ages 18-25 using a.) semi-structured interviews with adolescents and young women (N =20), and b.) collaboration and feedback via focus groups with shelter directors, case managers, and other providers of services to impoverished adolescents and young women (2-3 groups, 6-8 persons per group); (2) (Year 2) Pilot test components of this innovative prevention intervention for impoverished adolescents and young women through focus groups (8-10 groups, 6-8 people per group).