St. Jude-Memphis Adolescent Trials Unit

描述（由申请人提供）：预防和治疗艾滋病毒感染或有风险的青年需要临床研究站点与具有青少年医学经验的多学科工作人员以及社区组织（如当地卫生部门、青年服务提供者、艾滋病毒社区组织和信仰组织）之间的合作努力。圣犹达·孟斐斯青少年试验股（ATU）提供了这种合作和对青年友好的环境，并采用创造性方法成功地增加和留住青年参加临床研究。来自孟菲斯ATU的这一提案的具体目标是：1)通过招募和保留艾滋病毒感染和有风险的艾滋病毒未感染的青年参与初级、二级和三级预防研究，维持支持青少年医学试验网络（ATN）科学议程的临床研究基础设施。2)加强二级预防工作，加强对新诊断艾滋病患者的护理联动。3)扩大和优化新的和现有的社区联系，维持以社区为基础的初级预防基础设施，支持艾滋病毒预防性生物医学临床试验，包括疫苗、杀微生物剂、接触前预防以及综合生物医学和行为试验。4)通过研究人员和现场人员参与方案的制定，为青少年医学试验网络的科学议程做出贡献。孟菲斯是田纳西州性传播疾病发病率最高的县，人口以黑人为主，它特别受到艾滋病毒流行病的影响。自1987年成立以来，圣犹达艾滋病项目一直积极参与临床研究。自2006年加入ATN网络以来，已有319名ATN协议注册，圣裘德孟菲斯ATU已经赢得了其作为表现最佳的ATU的地位，并期待在未来几年进一步推进ATN的科学议程。在青年中增加艾滋病毒检测，通过外展改善与护理的联系，并继续提供全面的护理和资源，以支持参与和保留临床护理和研究方案，这些都是圣裘德孟菲斯ATU拟议计划的一些主要组成部分。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Prevention and treatment efforts in HIV infected or at risk youth require a collaborative effort between clinical research sites with multidisciplinary staff experienced in adolescent medicine, and community organizations such as local health departments, youth service providers, HIV community based organizations and faith based organizations. Such collaboration and a youth friendly environment with creative approaches to successful accrual and retention of youth in clinical studies exist at the St. Jude Memphis Adolescent Trials Unit (ATU). The specific aims of this proposal from a re-competing ATU in Memphis are: 1) To maintain the clinical research infrastructure that supports the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network's (ATN) scientific agenda through the recruitment and retention of HIV-infected and at-risk HIV-uninfected youth into primary, secondary and tertiary prevention studies. 2) To enhance secondary prevention efforts by improving linkage to care of patients newly diagnosed with HIV. 3) To expand and optimize new and existing community linkages that maintain a community-based primary prevention infrastructure that will support HIV preventive biomedical clinical trials, including vaccines, microbicides, pre-exposure prophylaxis and integrated biomedical and behavioral trials. 4) To contribute to the scientific agenda of the Adolescent Medicine Trials Network through the participation of investigators and site personnel in the development of protocols. Memphis, located in the county with the highest sexually transmitted disease rates in Tennessee and with a predominantly black population has been particularly affected by the HIV epidemic. Since its inception in 1987, the St. Jude HIV program has actively participated in clinical research. With 319 enrollments in ATN protocols since joining the network in 2006, the St. Jude Memphis ATU has earned its place as a top performing ATU and looks forward to furthering the ATN scientific agenda in the coming years. Increasing HIV testing amongst youth, improving linkage to care through outreach, and continuing to provide comprehensive care and resources to support engagement and retention in clinical care and research protocols are some of the major components of the St. Jude Memphis ATU's proposed plan. RELEVANCE: In the United States, HIV infection rates are increasing most rapidly among youth, in blacks, and in the South. An intervention program in Memphis, with its location in the South, a predominantly black population, and high STD rates, is poised to have a significant impact on this epidemic. The outstanding comprehensive HIV care and clinical research experience at St. Jude ensure a high-performing program.