HIV Testing in African American Churches

描述（由申请人提供）：K01指导研究科学家发展奖将为候选人提供高级培训，以建立一个独立的研究项目，专注于在服务不足的社区进行艾滋病毒预防和筛查。本文提出的定性和定量研究侧重于艾滋病毒检测，因为据估计，50%的新诊断艾滋病毒病例是由不知道自己的艾滋病毒阳性血清状态的个体引起的。非洲裔美国人不知道自己的艾滋病毒阳性状态可能是导致该人群中观察到的艾滋病毒感染率过高的原因。鉴于他们的影响力和能力，非裔美国人教会是招募和留住研究参与者以及影响与艾滋病毒检测相关的社区规范的理想场所。拟议研究的主要目的是开发和试点测试以教会为基础的干预措施的可行性，以促进在18至64岁之间接受教会外展服务的非裔美国教会成员和社区成员中进行艾滋病毒检测。我们将在4个教堂（N = 400）中使用双臂设计，在6个月和12个月时对艾滋病毒检测率进行文化和宗教定制干预与标准非定制信息干预的对比。干预成分基于计划行为理论（TPB），这是一种经验验证的行为改变策略，通常用于健康筛查研究。干预部分的交付将使用在非裔美国人教会研究中广泛使用的生态模型进行。该模型与TBP模型相结合，提供了一个生态扩展的TBP （eTPB）框架，用于通过教会设置的多个层面（例如，教会范围，事工团体，个人）开发和交付干预的组成部分。在试点研究之前，我们将与非裔美国人教会和教会附属社区成员进行焦点小组讨论，以获取与接受教会艾滋病毒检测相关的促进因素、障碍和eTBP因素（态度/信念、主观规范和感知行为控制）的信息，以指导试点研究干预措施的发展。干预的可行性将通过与参与的教会领袖的研究后访谈、教会实施的干预成分的文件和研究完成率来评估。一个社区咨询委员会将协助在发展和执行焦点小组和试点研究的所有阶段提供指导。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This K01 Mentored Research Scientist Development Award will provide advanced training for the candidate to establish an independent research program focused on HIV prevention and screening in underserved communities. The qualitative and quantitative studies proposed here focus on HIV testing, as 50% of newly diagnosed HIV cases are estimated to be caused by individuals who are unaware of their HIV+ serostatus. African Americans who are unaware of their HIV+ status likely contribute to the disproportionately high observed rates of HIV in this population. Given their reach and capacity, African American churches are ideal settings to recruit and retain research participants as well as impact community norms related to HIV testing. The primary aim of the proposed study is to develop and pilot test the feasibility of a church-based intervention to promote HIV testing among African American church members and community members receiving church outreach services between the ages of 18 to 64. We will use a 2-arm design with four churches (N = 400) to test a culturally and religiously tailored intervention against a standard non-tailored information intervention on HIV testing rates at 6 and 12 months. Intervention components are based on the Theory of Planned Behavior (TPB), an empirically-validated behavioral change strategy commonly used in health screening research. Delivery of intervention components will be conducted using an Ecological Model widely utilized in African American church-based research studies. This model combined with the TBP model, provides an ecologically-expanded TBP (eTPB) framework for developing and delivering the intervention's components through the multiple levels (e.g., church-wide, ministry groups, individual) of the church setting. Prior to the pilot study, we will conduct focus groups with African American church and church-affiliated community members to elicit information on facilitators and barriers and eTBP factors (attitudes/beliefs, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control) related to receipt of church-based HIV testing in order to guide the development of the pilot study intervention. Feasibility of the intervention will be assessed using post-study interviews with participating church leaders, documentation of intervention components implemented by churches, and study completion rates. A Community Advisory Board will assist in providing guidance in all phases of development and implementation of the focus group and pilot studies.