Survey of HIV-related Behaviors of the Maasai of Tanzania

描述(申请人提供)：这项研究计划建议进行一项随机调查，以评估坦桑尼亚马赛部落几个社区中与艾滋病毒传播有关的性行为及其预测因素。艾滋病毒的流行严重影响了坦桑尼亚，马赛部落可能面临独特的高风险，原因是性行为，如配偶之间年龄差距很大(15-45岁)，与同龄妻子发生性关系(与妻子分享)，15-29岁未婚战士与8-13岁青春期前女孩之间被批准的性行为，以及女性割礼。尽管这种独特的风险特征和马赛部落的大量人口(估计在1/1-100万人之间)，但没有发表的研究衡量这些行为在马赛人中的流行率。这项建议旨在确定艾滋病毒相关危险因素的流行率及其预测因素，以便为设计既文化上合适又有效的艾滋病毒预防干预措施提供信息。为了实现这一目标，研究项目将采取措施，创建一种文化和语言上适当的调查工具，并分析结果，以确定性行为的流行率和这些做法的预测因素。此外，该研究项目还将评估一个实验程序的影响，该实验程序旨在提高性行为自我报告措施的有效性。拟议的项目涉及NIMH艾滋病和健康与行为研究司(DAHBR)确定的一个高度优先领域，因为它试图确定将影响艾滋病毒风险降低的个人和社会因素。该提案还涉及DAHBR研究、培训和职业发展方案中的一个重点领域：促进全球采用初级预防干预措施的目标。它通过提供知识基础来实现这一目标，这是提供文化上适当和相关的艾滋病毒初级预防方案的必要的第一步。这项研究旨在对坦桑尼亚马赛人中与艾滋病毒有关的性行为进行调查，马赛人可能是艾滋病毒传播的独特高危人群。 公共卫生相关性：这项研究与公共卫生的相关性在于，它将提供信息基础，使设计和提供有效的艾滋病毒预防干预措施成为可能。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This research plan proposes to conduct a randomized survey to assess sexual behaviors related to HIV transmission and their predictors among several communities of the Maasai Tribe of Tanzania. The HIV epidemic has severely afflicted Tanzania, and the Maasai Tribe may be at uniquely high risk due to sexual practices such as large age gaps between spouses (15-45 years), sexual access to age-mates wives (wife- sharing), sanctioned sex between unmarried warriors aged 15-29 and pre-pubescent girls aged 8-13, and female circumcision. Despite this unique risk profile and the large population of the Maasai tribe (estimates between 1/¿-1 million members), no published studies have measured the prevalence of these behaviors among the Maasai. This proposal seeks to determine the prevalence of HIV-related risk factors and their predictors in order to inform design of HIV prevention interventions that's both culturally appropriate and efficacious. To achieve this objective, the research project will adapt measures to create a culturally and linguistically appropriate survey instrument and analyze the results to determine prevalence of sexual practices and predictors of these practices. Additionally, the research project will assess the impact of an experimental procedure designed to increase validity of self-report measures of sexual behavior. The proposed project addresses an area of high priority identified by NIMH Division of AIDS and Health and Behavior Research (DAHBR) in that it seeks to identify individual and social factors that would impact HIV risk reduction. The proposal also addresses an area of emphasis within the DAHBR Research Training and Career Development Program: the goal of promoting global adoption of primary prevention interventions. It addresses this goal by providing a foundation of knowledge that is a necessary first step to providing culturally appropriate and relevant HIV primary prevention programs. This research seeks to conduct of survey of sexual behaviors related to HIV among the Maasai of Tanzania, a group that may be at uniquely high risk for the spread of HIV. PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: The relevance of this research to public health is that it will provide a foundation of information that will enable the design and provision of effective HIV prevention interventions.