Home-Collected Blood Spots to Increase HIV Test Frequency among Young Black MSM

描述（由申请人提供）：在美国的艾滋病毒流行越来越集中在年轻的黑人男性与男性发生性关系（YBMSM）。在这一重要的风险群体中增加艾滋病毒检测的频率可能会对新感染的发生率产生重大影响，一种有希望的更频繁检测的策略是家庭收集干血斑（DBS）进行集中的艾滋病毒检测。这种方法消除了许多结构性和心理障碍，使YBMSM不经常进行艾滋病毒检测，允许通过检测艾滋病毒RNA和抗体来识别早期感染，并使任何被诊断的人能够迅速参与护理。本研究提案的具体目标是：（1）使用调查数据来确定哪些YBMSM最有可能使用DBS进行家庭测试，（2）通过对YBMSM样本的定性访谈来探索这一策略的障碍，以及（3）在试点研究中评估季度家庭DBS收集，集中测试和通过电话或安全网站报告结果的可接受性和可行性。拟议的研究将支持长期职业和短期培训目标的候选人为这个职业发展奖，博士。他是北卡罗来纳州大学传染病系的助理教授 在查佩尔山（查珀尔山），谁是寻求实现职业独立作为一个面向公共卫生的艾滋病毒研究的调查员，重点是了解结构，生物和行为因素影响艾滋病毒传播的年轻，黑人男性与男性发生性关系（YBMSM）在美国。为了实现这一目标，赫特博士需要职业发展方面的指导和健康行为科学方面的具体培训。通过密集的短期课程，研讨会，正式课程和体验式学习，博士。（1）学习健康行为的理论基础，（2）精通行为评估的定量和定性方法，（3）发展设计和进行行为和行为变化的临床研究所需的技能，（4）推进他对HIV分子诊断的理解，及（5）扩展其在负责任地进行人类受试者研究方面的培训。两名接受过公共卫生培训的ID教师，丽莎海托-魏德曼博士和威廉米勒博士，将为候选人提供主要指导，并由定性研究（克莱尔巴林顿博士）、分子诊断学（苏珊·费斯博士）和生物统计学（马克·韦弗博士）以及哥伦比亚大学行为科学（亚历克斯·卡洛-迪格斯博士）的专家教师做出贡献。研究计划得到了候选人主席的支持，他将提供完成职业发展奖所需的资源和保护时间。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): The HIV epidemic in the United States is becoming increasingly concentrated among young, Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM). Increasing the frequency of HIV tests in this important risk group could make a significant impact on the incidence of new infections, and one promising strategy for enabling more frequent testing is home collection of dried blood spots (DBS) for centralized HIV testing. This approach removes many of the structural and psychosocial barriers keeping YBMSM from testing frequently for HIV, allows for identification of early infections by detection of HIV RNA and antibodies, and enables prompt engagement in care for anyone diagnosed. The specific aims of this research proposal are to: (1) use survey data to determine which YBMSM are most likely to utilize DBS for home testing, (2) explore barriers to this strategy through qualitative interviews with a sample of YBMSM, and (3) assess the acceptability and feasibility of quarterly home DBS collection, centralized testing, and reporting of results by phone or secure website, in a pilot study. The proposed research will support the long-term career and short-term training goals of the candidate for this career development award, Dr. Christopher Hurt. He is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases (ID) at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) who is seeking to achieve career independence as an investigator in public health-oriented HIV research, with a focus on understanding the structural, biological, and behavioral factors influencing HIV transmission among young, Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) in the United States. To accomplish that goal, Dr. Hurt needs mentored guidance in career development and specific training in the science of health behavior. Through intensive short-courses, seminars, formal coursework, and experiential learning, Dr. Hurt will: (1) learn the theoretical underpinnings of health behavior, (2) become proficient in quantitative and qualitative methods for behavioral assessment, (3) develop skills needed to design and conduct clinical studies of behavior and behavioral change, (4) advance his understanding of molecular diagnostics in HIV, and (5) extend his training in the responsible conduct of human subjects research. Two established ID faculty members with public health training, Drs. Lisa Hightow- Weidman and William Miller, will provide primary mentorship for the candidate, with contributions from expert faculty in qualitative research (Dr. Clare Barrington), molecular diagnostics (Dr. Susan Fiscus), and biostatistics (Dr. Mark Weaver) at UNC, and in behavioral science (Dr. Alex Carballo-Dieguez) at Columbia University. The research plan has the support of the candidate's chairman, who will provide the resources and protected time necessary for completion of this career development award.