Conditional Cash Transfers to Prevent Sexually Transmitted Infections in Mexico

描述（由申请人提供）：本申请为国际研究科学家发展奖（IRSDA）提出了一个为期三年的研究计划，重点是在加州大学伯克利分校和墨西哥国家公共卫生研究所（INSP）使用经济激励措施来预防性传播感染（STIs）。候选人奥马尔·加拉拉加（Omar galaraga）将在加州大学伯克利分校（UC Berkeley）商业与经济研究所（Institute for Business and Economic Research）任职。他之前在约翰霍普金斯大学获得卫生政策博士学位。IRSDA将允许候选人有一段时间的指导研究，为他在国际公共卫生领域从事独立研究做好准备。候选人的长期目标是通过设计、实施和评估公共卫生项目，特别是那些与性传播感染（包括艾滋病毒）有关的项目，利用经济工具，为人类发展做出贡献。他的目标是发展行为经济流行病学的关键技能和知识基础。他的具体目标是：1)研究经济因素如何影响青少年的性风险行为；2)采用先进的定量方法测量行为变化；3)获得实地研究方法的经验；4)运用流行病学、计量经济学和行为科学的知识，并将其用于成本效益分析，为未来的预防计划提供信息。他计划通过直接课程学习、一对一辅导、指导研究项目、会议演讲、准备出版手稿和制定研究计划（R03、R01或其他）来实现这些目标，在奖励期结束时成为一名独立的研究人员。证据表明，传统的预防方法在性传播感染，特别是艾滋病毒预防方面并不完全成功。建议向没有性传播感染的年轻人提供经济奖励，作为不仅影响近端而且影响远端和环境风险的结构性干预的一个例子。galaraga博士将开展必要的初步工作，以测试有条件现金转移是否能有效改变墨西哥青少年和年轻人的性风险行为。迫切需要更有效的性传播感染和艾滋病毒预防规划，特别是在中低收入国家。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): This application proposes a three-year research program for the International Research Scientist Development Award (IRSDA) with a focus on the use of economic incentives to prevent sexually transmitted infections (STIs), at the University of California, Berkeley and the Mexican National Institute of Public Health (INSP). The candidate, Omar Galarraga, will have an appointment at the Institute for Business and Economic Research at UC Berkeley. He previously received a Ph.D. in Health Policy at Johns Hopkins University. The IRSDA will allow the candidate to have a period of mentored research to prepare him to Dursue an independent research career in international public health. The candidate's long-term goal is to contribute to human development by designing, implementing, and evaluating public health programs, particularly those related to sexually transmitted infections including HIV, using economic tools. He aims to develop a base of skills and knowledge critical in behavioral economic epidemiology. His specific aims are: 1) to study how economic factors affect sexual risk behavior in adolescents; 2) to use advanced quantitative methods to measure behavior change; 3) to gain experience in field research methods; and 4) to apply this knowledge of epidemiology, econometrics, and behavioral science and use it in a cost effectiveness analysis to inform future prevention programs. He plans to achieve these goals through a combination of direct coursework, one-on-one tutorials, mentored research projects, conference presentations, preparation of manuscripts for publication, and development of research proposals (R03, R01 or other) to become an independent researcher at the end of the award period. The evidence shows that traditional prevention methods have not been entirely successful for STI and particularly HIV prevention. Economic incentives for young persons who remain free of STIs are proposed as an example of a structural intervention that affects not only proximal but also distal and environmental risks. Dr. Galarraga will conduct preliminary work essential to test whether conditional cash transfers are effective in changing sexual risk behavior of adolescents and young adults in Mexico. More effective STI and HIV prevention programs are urgently needed, particularly in middle and low-income countries.