PREVENTION FOR IMPOVERISHED YOUNG WOMEN IN SHELTERS

描述(申请人提供)：关于贫困和无家可归的青春期女性和年轻女性向成年的转变知之甚少，但这些人中的许多人使用非法药物，从事危险的性行为，并经历身体和性侵害。缺乏以证据为基础的预防方法，解决过渡到成年期的年轻贫困妇女之间的这些相互关联的问题。我们正在响应RFA-DA-04-013，向成年期过渡的预防研究。本申请旨在满足探索/发展助学金计划(R21)的目标，该计划的研究将有助于未来更密集和更大规模的研究计划的发展。拟议研究的目标是：1)加强对居住在无家可归者收容所的18-25岁贫困青少年和年轻妇女向成年过渡的了解；2)探索将我们以前对青少年所做的干预措施用于贫困青少年和年轻妇女以预防和减少吸毒、艾滋病毒危险行为和受害的可行性。这一项目将是我们在一系列创新研究中迈出的第一步，目的是解决为贫困青少年和年轻妇女提供预防服务方面的重大差距。我们的具体目标是(1)(第1年)收集关于成年过渡的信息，并使用a.为18-25岁的贫困青少年和年轻妇女设计创新的预防干预措施。)对青少年和年轻女性的半结构化访谈(N=20)；通过重点小组与收容所主任、个案管理人员和其他向贫困青少年和年轻妇女提供服务的人员进行协作和反馈(2-3个小组，每个小组6-8人)； (2)(第2年)通过重点小组(8-10个小组，每组6-8人)对贫困青少年和年轻妇女进行创新预防干预的试点测试部分。

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).