Expanding HIV testing among Ugandan adults who utilize traditional healers

项目总结 拟议的以病人为导向的导师职业发展奖(K23)的目的是提供 具有培训和研究经验的候选人，将促进她发展为独立研究人员 作为一名艾滋病毒干预者，专门将艾滋病毒护理扩展到使用传统医疗师的社区 而不是生物医学设施。拟议的培训将为她提供发展的机会 具备以下方面的知识和技能：1)分析横断面、纵向和队列所需的定量方法 数据；2)研究艾滋病毒和模拟艾滋病毒相关健康行为的混合方法；以及3)理论， 设计和实施社会结构干预措施。培训活动将包括授课课程 和特定的研讨会、定向阅读和与导师的一对一教程，以及 负责任的研究行为。候选人将接受由以下人员组成的培训团队的指导 全球知名的艾滋病毒流行病学、混合方法研究和社会结构领域的专家 低资源环境下的干预实施。她的应用研究培训将在姆巴拉拉进行， 乌干达与姆巴拉拉科技大学合作。姆巴拉拉区是一个农村地区， 首都坎帕拉西南约275公里，艾滋病毒流行率几乎两倍 全国平均水平(12%)。在姆巴拉拉之前的研究已经证明了传统医疗师的重要性 为这一地区的社区提供医疗保健，但对传统的医疗实践或 客户中艾滋病毒检测(或艾滋病毒感染)的比率。这项研究的具体目的是：1)确定关键 影响乌干达成年人艾滋病毒检测行为的社会结构因素 医疗师；2)调查在传统医疗师诊所提供护理点艾滋病毒检测的可接受性 地点；以及3)在传统医疗者中开发和试点预期的艾滋病毒检测干预措施，以 促进早期诊断。结果将为通知电力所需的参数生成效果估计 在传统治疗师进行随后的大规模随机分组艾滋病毒检测干预的计算 实习地点，并将安排候选人开发R01申请，提交给NIMH 奖励期结束。这项拟议的工作代表了美国国立卫生研究院指定的高度优先的研究课题 艾滋病研究办公室将“降低艾滋病毒/艾滋病发病率”…[通过]开发、测试和实施 改进艾滋病毒检测和提供预防服务的战略“。

PROJECT SUMMARY The purpose of the proposed Mentored Patient-Oriented Career Development Award (K23) is to provide the candidate with training and research experiences that will promote her development to independent researcher as an HIV interventionist, specializing in expanding HIV care to communities who utilize Traditional Healers rather than biomedical facilities. The proposed training will provide her with the opportunity to develop knowledge and skills in: 1) quantitative methods needed to analyze cross-sectional, longitudinal and cohort data; 2) mixed-methods approaches to studying HIV and modeling HIV-related health behavior; and 3) theory, design and implementation of socio-structural interventions. Training activities will include didactic coursework and specific workshops, directed readings and one-on-one tutorials with mentors, and instruction in the responsible conduct of research. The candidate will receive mentorship from a Training Team comprised of globally renowned experts in the fields of HIV epidemiology, mixed methods research, and socio-structural intervention implementation in low-resource settings. Her applied research training will take place in Mbarara, Uganda in collaboration with Mbarara University of Science and Technology. Mbarara District is a rural region, approximately 275 kilometers southwest of the capital city of Kampala, with an HIV prevalence of nearly twice the national average (12%). Prior research in Mbarara has demonstrated the importance of Traditional Healers in providing healthcare for communities in this area, but little is known about Traditional Healer practices or rates of HIV testing (or HIV infection) among their clients. Specific aims of this study are to: 1) identify key socio-structural factors that frame HIV testing behaviors among Ugandan adults who utilize Traditional Healers; 2) investigate acceptability of providing point-of-care HIV testing at Traditional Healer practice locations; and 3) develop and pilot a prospective HIV testing intervention among Traditional Healer patients to promote earlier diagnosis. Results will generate effect estimates for parameters needed to inform power calculations for a subsequent, large-scale cluster-randomized HIV testing intervention at Traditional Healer practice locations, and will position the candidate to develop an R01 application for submission to NIMH at the end of the award period. The proposed work represents a high priority research topic designated by the NIH Office of AIDS Research to “reduce incidence of HIV/AIDS … [by] developing, testing, and implementing strategies to improve HIV testing and entry into prevention services”.