PS07-003, Minority HIV/AIDS Research Initiative (MARI)

描述(由申请人提供)：拟议的研究项目将使用定量和定性数据来探索年轻的(18-30岁)与男性发生性关系的黑人男性(BMSM)与其他男性相遇并进行性行为的社会和情景背景的特征。这项研究将侧重于了解与风险行为相关的背景因素。背景因素以两种方式概念化：1)与性冒险行为密切相关的风险因素(即近距离的风险因素，如性活动中的物质使用、性伴和环境的特征、对性伙伴的感情以及与性伙伴的沟通)；以及2)远距离的与性冒险行为有关的因素(即儿童和青少年暴露在赤贫中、父母或照顾者使用物质、和/或暴力和创伤)。这项研究还将探索与年轻BMSM中的艾滋病毒保护行为相关的复原力和其他个人和社会因素，以及描述在这一人群中有效预防和治疗艾滋病毒的障碍和促进者。这项工作的总体目标是帮助确定预防信息的潜在有效组成部分，以及针对年轻BMSM的个人、群体和社区层面的干预措施。定性数据将来自对50名年轻黑人MSM进行的生活史访谈。定量数据将通过横断面调查和200名年轻的BMSM完成的纵向的、基于互联网的结构化每周日记来收集。这项拟议的研究通过检查可能使年轻的BMSM处于艾滋病毒高危状态的因素，对公共卫生具有重要意义。与这一群体一起开展的大型研究项目很少，而且只设计了少量干预措施，有效地接触到这一人群。该项目采用概念和分析方法，重点描述年轻BMSM的性行为冒险行为的背景。通过采取这种方法，我们能够更好地确定有效的预防信息，并确定针对年轻BMSM的个人、群体和社区层面干预的必要组成部分。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The proposed research project will use quantitative and qualitative data to explore features of the social and situational contexts in which young (18-30 yrs old) Black men who have sex with men (BMSM) meet other men and engage in sexual behaviors. The research will focus on understanding the contextual factors associated with risk behavior. Contextual factors are conceptualized in two ways: 1) those proximally linked to sexual risk-taking (i.e., proximal risk factors, such as substance use during sexual activity, characteristics of sex partners and settings, feelings toward sex partners, and communication with sex partners), and 2) those distally related to sexual risk-taking (i.e., distal risk factors, such as childhood and adolescent exposure to abject poverty, substance use by parents or caregivers, and/or violence and trauma). The research will also explore resiliency and other personal and social factors associated with HIV protective behaviors among young BMSM, as well as describe the barriers and facilitators to effective HIV prevention and treatment in this population. The overarching goal of the work is to aid in the identification of potentially effective components of prevention messages and individual-, group-, and community-level interventions directed toward young BMSM. Qualitative data will be derived from life history interviews conducted with 50 young Black MSM. Quantitative data will be collected through a cross-sectional survey and a longitudinal, Internet-based structured weekly diary that 200 young BMSM will complete. The proposed study has great significance to public health, by examining the factors that that may place young BMSM at heightened risk for HIV. Few large-scale research projects have been conducted with this group, and only a small number of interventions have been designed that effectively reach this population. The project takes a conceptual and analytical approach that focuses on describing the contexts of sexual risk-taking behavior among young BMSM. By taking this approach, we are better able to ascertain effective prevention messages, and to identify the necessary components of individual-, group-, and community-level interventions directed toward young BMSM.