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The study addresses the second new strategy for HIV
prevention under the CDC’s Advancing HIV Prevention (AHP)
initiative; the implementation of new models for diagnosing
HIV infections outside medical settings and one of the six
research objectives of the RFA, voluntary HIV testing and
counseling of heterosexual Black and Hispanic males.
The short-term study objective is to identify barriers
and facilitators associated with HIV testing and disclosure
of HIV positive test results in black males 18-64 who self-identify
as heterosexual -- determining whether these differ by
relationship type (wife, regular outside female sexual
partner, casual female sexual partner, male sexual partner)
and to determine if providing HIV testing options will
result in increased acceptability of HIV testing. The
long-term objective is to develop an intervention to promote
HIV testing and disclosure of HIV positive status to sexual
partners that is cultural, gender, and region specific for
rural/small city African American males who self-identify as
heterosexual.
The study design consists of four phases: Phase
1— qualitative descriptive focus groups (n=36) to inform the
development of the survey items; Phase 2— cross-sectional
instrument developments and testing (n=300) utilizing a
mixed method approach of instruments administration and
focus groups; Phase 3— cross-sectional survey administration
(n=3000) and randomized controlled trial at the individual
level (n=300) comparing experimental condition with rapid
HIV testing procedure (OraQuick Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody or
OraQuick Advance Rapid HIV-1/2 Antibody) via community
outreach with the controlled condition/standard non-rapid
OraSure or serological test; and Phase 4— qualitative
descriptive process evaluation utilizing 12 focus groups
(n=72, n=36 survey participants who did not participate in
the randomized controlled trial and n=36 participants of the
randomized controlled trial) to assess attitude toward HIV
testing, perception of barriers to and facilitators of HIV
testing, perception of assistance needed to improve HIV
positive
disclosure skills, and perception of strategies to improve
HIV testing.
The objective of this research has public health
relevance to the African-American community related to HIV. Three
Healthy People 2010 objectives are addressed by this
research: 13-7 Increase the number of HIV positive persons
who know their serostatus; 3-13 Increase the proportion of
HIV-infected adolescents and adults who receive testing,
treatment, and prophylaxis consistent with current Public
Health Service treatment guidelines; and 5-8 Reduce HIV
infections in adolescent and young adult females aged 13-24 that are associated with heterosexual contact.
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