Faith-Based HIV Prevention for Women

描述（由申请人提供）：拟议的研究采取了一种创新的，文化上一致的艾滋病毒预防方法，涉及AA社区，AA教堂最有影响力的社会结构之一。这项拟议中的研究在埃默里大学罗林斯公共卫生学院和格鲁吉亚亚特兰大市的新生传教士浸信会之间建立了联系。在过去的一年里，研究小组与教会非神职人员领导人和教会各部领导人合作，开始制定一项基于信仰的艾滋病毒干预措施。研究人员建议开发一种基于信仰的艾滋病毒干预措施，该措施改编自CDC定义的基于证据的SISTA艾滋病毒干预措施，适用于18 - 29岁的年轻AA女性。1.2中年和老年人现在是艾滋病毒感染者中增长最快的群体。不幸的是，中年和老年妇女感染艾滋病毒的比率高于中年和老年男子。此外，在成年妇女中，AA妇女感染艾滋病毒的比例过高。鉴于缺乏对这一人群的循证艾滋病毒干预措施，拟议的研究旨在为40 - 60岁的AA妇女设计一种基于信仰的艾滋病毒干预措施，以减少无保护的性交。符合条件的参与者将随机接受基于信仰的HIV干预（n = 240）或安慰剂对照的健康促进干预（n = 240），并将在基线、6个月和12个月随访时进行评估，以评估干预效果。要使行为改变具有意义，就必须使其持续下去，因此，我们还建议培训妇女部和卫生部的成员，以维持干预措施。

DESCRIPTION (provided by the applicant): The proposed study takes an innovative, culturally congruent approach to HIV prevention by involving one of the most influential social structures in the AA community, AA churches. The proposed study forges a link between Emory University Rollins School of Public Health and New Birth Missionary Baptist Church in metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia. During the past year, the study team has collaborated with church lay leaders and with leaders of the church Ministries to initiate development a faith-based HIV intervention. The study investigators propose to develop a faith-based HIV intervention that is adapted from the CDC-defined evidence based SISTA HIV intervention for young AA women, 18 - 29 years of age. 1,2 Middle age and older populations now represent the fastest growing group of individuals living with HIV. Unfortunately, middle age and older women are acquiring HIV at a higher rate than middle age and older men. Moreover, among mature women, AA women are disproportionately affected by HIV. Given the absence of evidence-based HIV interventions for this population, the proposed study seeks to design a faith-based HIV intervention for AA women, 40 - 60 years of age to reduce unprotected sexual intercourse. Eligible participants will be randomized to receive either the faith-based HIV intervention (n = 240) or a placebo controlled health promotion intervention (n = 240) and assessments will be conducted at baseline, 6 and 12- month follow up to evaluate intervention efficacy. For behavior change to be meaningful it must be sustained, thus, we also propose to train members of the Women's Ministry and Health Ministry to maintain the intervention.