BEHAVIORAL SURVEILLANCE

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DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The goal of the Texas National HIV Behavioral Surveillance (NHBS) project is to monitor the HIV epidemic through HIV risk behavior data of high risk groups in order to guide local HIV prevention programs in Texas and contribute to the development of a National HIV Behavioral Surveillance system. Formative research will be conducted prior to implementation of the survey using key informant interviews, focus groups, and ethnographic assessments to develop local survey questions and identify local venues for conducting field research activities. The Texas NHBS project team will conduct an anonymous, cross-sectional survey of HIV risk behaviors, access to and utilization of HIV Prevention services in three adult high risk populations, men who have sex with men (MSM), injecting drug users (IDU) and heterosexuals at risk (HET) in the Dallas Division, Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington Metropolitan Statistical Area. A minimum of 500 surveys will be completed from eligible participants in each high risk group during each cycle of the three year project using venue based, time-space sampling and respondent driven sampling methodologies as appropriate for the target population. Voluntary and anonymous HIV testing will also be conducted on consenting participants to estimate HIV seroprevalence and incidence of each high risk group. All surveys and HIV testing will be conducted by a team of trained staff in a secure mobile testing unit (customized recreational vehicle). Research data will be analyzed and study findings will be disseminated to community based organizations and HIV community planning groups to guide prevention resource allocation and to design and evaluate prevention interventions. The Texas NHBS will also conduct evaluations of the local NHBS system, the quality, efficiency, and usefulness of its sampling systems and data collection methods to ensure the system is meeting the project goals.