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Adolescents with intellectual disability (ID) are often deficient in knowledge about HIV/AIDS. This pilot study evaluated the impact and acceptability of an HIV education intervention for adolescents with mild-to-moderate ID delivered in a peri-urban setting in Uganda. This quasi-experimental study involved 60 adolescents with mild to moderate ID evenly split between the intervention and control groups. Data were collected using a questionnaire that included sociodemographic information, HIV knowledge and attitudes, and acceptability measures, administered at baseline, immediately postintervention, and 3 months later. Approximately 53.3% of the participants were male, and 50% had mild ID. Immediately post-intervention, the intervention group reported a significantly higher increase in HIV knowledge (8.5 vs. −0.2, p <.001) and attitudes (3.9 vs. 0.1, p <.001) than the control group. A similar significant increase was maintained at 3 months post-intervention. These findings show that tailored education programs can improve HIV knowledge and attitudes in adolescents with ID. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Economically vulnerable women engaged in sex work (WESW) comprise one of the key populations with higher prevalence of HIV globally. In Uganda, HIV prevalence among WESW is estimated at 37% and accounts for 18% of all new infections in the country. This paper describes the strategies by which we have engaged community stakeholders in a randomised clinical trial aimed at evaluating the efficacy of adding economic empowerment components to traditional HIV risk reduction to reduce the incidence of STIs and HIV among WESW in Uganda. We demonstrate that stakeholder engagement, including the engagement of WESW themselves, plays a critical role in the adaptation, implementation, uptake, and potential sustainability of evidence-based interventions. To our knowledge, this is the first study to utilise stakeholder engagement involving WESW in Uganda. Researchers working with hard-to-reach populations, such as WESW, are encouraged to invest time and resources to engage key stakeholders through a full range of collaborative activities; and ensure that research is culturally appropriate and meets the needs of all stakeholders involved. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03583541. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We assessed the effect of depression, hopelessness, and self-concept on HIV prevention attitudes and knowledge about infection, transmission and sexual risk behavior among adolescents living with HIV in Uganda. Utilizing longitudinal data from 635 adolescents living with HIV, multiple ordinary least square regression was used to evaluate associations between the three indicators of mental health functioning at baseline and HIV knowledge and prevention attitudes at 12-months follow-up. We found that depression (β = − 0.17; 95% CI − 0.31, − 0.04) and hopelessness (β = − 0.16; 95% CI − 0.28, − 0.04) scores at baseline were associated with a 0.17 and 0.16 average reduction in HIV prevention attitudes and HIV knowledge scores, respectively at 12-months follow-up. However, self-concept was not significantly associated with HIV knowledge or prevention attitudes. Adolescents living with HIV with greater levels of hopelessness are at increased risk of having limited HIV knowledge while those with greater symptoms of depression had less favorable HIV prevention attitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The HOPE Family Project (HIV Prevention for Parents and Early Adolescents) is an eight- session, family-based group intervention modeled on three evidence-based curricula targeting HIV/AIDS and alcohol and drug abuse prevention. The design and implementation of the HOPE Family Project was carried out by an established community collaborative board. The project aims to educate and provide tailored support to families and their youth (ages 11-14), residing in homeless shelters, regarding HIV and alcohol abuse prevention. The group model proved successful in offering an informal social support network for families living in homeless shelters and improving family functioning and youth mental health outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Family-based interventions with children who are affected by HIV and AIDS are not well established. The Collaborative HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Program (CHAMP) represents one of the few evidence-based interventions tested in low-income contexts in the US, Caribbean and South Africa. This paper provides a description of the theoretical and empirical bases of the development and implementation of CHAMP in two of these countries, the US and South Africa. In addition, with the advent of increasing numbers of children infected with HIV surviving into adolescence and young adulthood, a CHAMP+ family-based intervention, using the founding principles of CHAMP, has been developed to mitigate the risk influences associated with being HIV positive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine what ethnic and racial minority women recommend as the best approaches to participatory health research in their communities. To achieve this goal, this study focused on HIV prevention research. Methods: In 2003, Seven African American and seven Latina women (ages 33 to 52), all members of an HIV Prevention Collaborative Board, participated in individual interviews, lasting about 90 minutes each. Participants discussed their involvement in participatory research, and made recommendations as to how health researchers might better engage their communities. Data were coded independently by two coders following standard procedure for content analysis. Results: Women's voices and expertise can help guide health-related research. This study shows that: (1) participatory HIV prevention research should be founded on trust and commitment, leading to social support: (2) research partners ought to come from diverse backgrounds and be knowledgeable about the community and willing to work on common objectives: and (3) collaborative partnerships ought to portray an image of strength and cohesion, and a clear articulation of the mission around a research project. Implications: To develop meaningful health research, researchers need to establish long-term ongoing relationships with community collaborators, including minority women from diverse backgrounds. Researchers ought to take a holistic approach working with communities, and ought to consider their research interests vis-à-vis in the community's needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The current article examines the secondary effects of an inner-city Community-University Collaborative HIV-Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Family Program (CHAMP) in reducing externalizing (i.e., aggressive and rule-breaking behavior) and social problem behaviors for children with significant levels of externalizing behavior. Data were provided by parents for a sample of 50 youth assigned to the CHAMP Family Program and 299 comparison children. Among the CHAMP Family Program participants at pretest, 40% (n = 20) of parents reported their children exhibited significant levels of externalizing behavior. Among the comparison group, 38% (n = 113) of parents reported their children exhibited significant levels of externalizing behavior. There was a significant reduction in child externalizing scores for children in the CHAMP Family Program from pretest to posttest, bringing their mean scores of externalizing behavior from clinical to sub-clinical levels. Posttest only comparisons revealed that children in the CHAMP Family Program had significantly lower externalizing behavior scores than children in the comparison group. Analyses of child social problems indicated mixed results. Implications for urban mental health and prevention programs are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Involving low-income, ethnic minority families in lengthy HIV prevention programs can be challenging. Understanding the motivators and barriers to involvement may help researchers and practitioners design programs that can be used by populations most at risk for HIV exposure. The present study discusses motivators and barriers to involvement in the Collaborative HIV Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP), using data from a sample of 118 families that participated at varying levels in the twelve sessions of the program. Most participants chose motivators that reflect their perceptions of individual and/or family needs ("CHAMP might help me, mine, and other families"), and of characteristics of the program, such as CHAMP staff were friendly, CHAMP was fun. Among barriers to involvement, respondents expressed concerns about confidentiality, and about being judged by program staff. Respondents also reported experiencing many stressful events in their families (e.g., death and violence in the family) that may have been barriers to their involvement. Knowing these motivators and barriers, researchers and practitioners can enhance involvement in HIV prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was designed to explore the experiences of urban parents in their role as Collaborative Board members as part of the CHAMP (Collaborative HIV prevention and Adolescent Mental health Project) Family Program Study. The CHAMP Collaborative Board is comprised of urban parents, representatives from schools and community- based agencies and university-based researchers and is charged with overseeing the design, delivery and testing of a family-based HIV prevention program for pre and early adolescent youth. The current qualitative study, guided by the Theory of Unified Behavior Change, is meant to elucidate: (1) pathways to involvement by urban parents; (2) benefits and costs of participating in this collaborative HIV prevention research effort; and (3) the role of social relationships in influencing initial and ongoing participation by parent participants. Twenty-nine parent Collaborative Board members were interviewed for this study. In-depth interviews were audio recorded and ranged from 30 to 90 minutes in length. Transcripts were coded and analyzed using NUD*IST, computerized software used for examining narratives. Findings include community parent members identifying social support and learning opportunities as major reasons for involvement with the Collaborative Board. Prior involvement with other community-based projects and knowledge of at least one other person on the Board also influenced members to join the Board and remain involved over time. Further, recommendations for future collaborative partnerships are made. Findings have direct implication for participatory HIV prevention research activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides a description of a Community/University Collaborative Board, a formalized partnership between representatives from an inner-city community and university-based researchers. This Collaborative Board oversees a number of research projects focused on designing, delivering and testing family-based HIV prevention and mental health focused programs to elementary and junior high school age youth and their families. The Collaborative Board consists of urban parents, school staff members, representatives from community-based agencies and university-based researchers. One research project, the CHAMP (Collaborative HIV prevention and Adolescent Mental health Project) Family Program Study, an urban, family-based HIV prevention project will be used to illustrate how the Collaborative Board oversees a community-based research study. The process of establishing a Collaborative Board, recruiting members and developing subcommittees is described within this article. Examples of specific issues addressed by tile Collaborative Board within its subcommittees, Implementation, Finance, Welcome, Research, Grant writing, Curriculum, and Leadership, are detailed in this article along with lessons learned. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the relationship between contextual factors and attendance in a family-based HIV prevention program for low-income, urban, African-American women and their children. Participants' motivations to become involved, their concerns about discussing sex-related issues with their children, recruiters' perceptions of respondents' understanding of the program, and environmental stressors were examined. Participants' level of motivation and recruiters' success in improving respondents' understanding of the program were significant correlates of attendance. Stressors experienced by the family and concerns around talking with children about sex were not significantly associated with participation. Recommendations to enhance involvement in family-based HIV prevention programs are made. doi:10.1300/J137v15n02_16 [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This article describes the development of a family-based preventive intervention designed to reduce HIV risk behavior in children (8-11 years) whose mothers have a history of drug involvement. The program, HIV-Prevention at the Young Mother's Program with Evolving Families (HYPE), is a 10-week multiple family group intervention influenced by the Collaborative HIV-Prevention and Adolescent Mental Health Project (CHAMP), a family-based HIV prevention program developed to reduce HIV risk behavior and promote mental health of urban pre-adolescents. The development and delivery of HYPE were overseen by a partnership between community members representing an inner-city neighborhood, including staff, administrators, and a graduate of a drug treatment program for mothers in Bronx, New York, and university-based researchers. A description of the collaborative process and an overview of the curriculum from the first pilot program are presented. Implications for family-based HIV prevention for urban populations affected by drug-use and abuse are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Although social support has been linked to improvement in health behaviors, little is known about social support among those most affected by the AIDS epidemic: low-income, young adult, African- American women and their children. Since the age and gender of informal support providers have been shown to influence the types and degrees of social support one receives, this paper examines differences in types and degrees of social support, by age and gender of support persons, received by self-identified African-American female caretakers (n = 197) attending an HIV prevention program. Age of support person was positively associated to overall perceived social and emotional support, as well as to the support person's willingness to help respondents. Adult persons appeared to provide more overall social support to respondents, and to be more eager to help, than did younger persons, even though adult supports made fewer personal contacts. Respondents received significantly more overall social and emotional support from females than from males. Implications for family-based HIV prevention are discussed below. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This exploratory study examines changes in suicidal ideation among a sample (N=28) of homeless youth, ages 11-14, residing within family shelters in a large metropolitan area. Changes in suicidal ideation from pretest to posttest are compared across two group approaches to delivering HIV prevention. Youth and their families participating in the HOPE Family Program, incorporating a family strengthening approach, are compared to those receiving a traditional health education-only approach. Multivariate analyses reveal that youth in the HOPE Family Program were 13 times more likely to report a decrease of suicidal ideation. These findings indicate that health education programs integrating a family strengthening approach hold promise for positively impacting mental health outcomes for vulnerable youth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article draws on the unified theory of behavior change to examine adult community members' participation in a collaborative, community-based HIV prevention program for inner-city youth. Specifically, the impact of a training and mentorship process is examined with a sample of parent facilitators hired to deliver an evidence-based HIV prevention program in Bronx, New York. Findings indicate that the training program impacted four of five key constructs (environmental constraints, habitual behavior, social norms, and self-concept) expected to be related to parents' ability to deliver the program constructs significantly beyond any increase evidenced by the control group (HIV knowledge increased in both groups). Community-level training programs may therefore be an effective medium for increasing caregivers' intention to collaborate in community-based prevention programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]