Environment And Health Group, Inc. — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase I: NCI

Description

AbstractHIVindividuals are several thousand times more likely to be diagnosed with Kaposi sarcomatimes more likely to be diagnosed with non Hodgkin lymphomaand five times more likely to be diagnosed with cervical cancer than uninfected peopleThey are also more likely to be diagnosed with analliverand lung cancerand Hodgkin lymphomaAfrican Americans are disproportionately affected by HIV and cancerThey representof the populationyet accounted forof HIV cases inNCI recommends antiretroviral therapyARTas a key cancer prevention strategy among HIVindividualsyet many HIVpeopleespecially African Americanshave difficulty adhering to ARTAccording to NCIregular screenings and a healthy lifestyle may also help reduce cancer ratesbut only if used consistentlyA growing literature of randomized controlled trials has demonstrated mhealth to be successful for promoting cancer preventionhealthy lifestyle behaviors and medication adherence including among African AmericansHoweverno cancer prevention mhealth intervention has yet been developed that targets HIVAfrican Americansdespite this group being disproportionately affected by BOTH cancer and HIVTo address this critical gapthe research teamwhich includes a health psychologist and experts in oncologyinfectious diseasehealth disparitiesand pharmacologywill develop a culturally sensitive mhealth intervention that includes a patient app and care provider teamCPTplatform to promote cancer prevention behaviors among HIVAfrican American adultsThis research will be guided by three specific aimsDevelop an individually tailoredculturally sensitive mhealth interventioncomprised of a patient app and CPT platform to promote cancer prevention behaviors among HIVAfrican American adultsImplementweek pre post test design pilot to evaluate short term effectiveness for promoting cancer prevention behaviorsi eself efficacy for healthy eatingself efficacy for walkingcancer screening intentionand ART adherence among HIVAfrican AmericansEvaluate feasibilityAtwkswe will evaluate feasibility via focus groups with all pre post participants and interviews with CPT members involved in implementationThe primary and secondary hypotheses are that HIVAfrican American adults who receive tailored cancer prevention texts plus daily pill reminders forweeks will showgreater self efficacy for healthy eating and greater self efficacy for walking andgreater cancer screening intention and greater ART adherence atweeks compared to baselineLong termif proven to be effective in a Phase II SBIR applicationthe proposed research will help to reduce the cancer rates and increase early diagnoses of cancer among African Americans who are HIV positivewhile simultaneously improving ART adherence rates Narrative HIVindividuals are at higher risk for many forms of cancerHIVAfrican Americans being at the highest riskWe know of no cancer prevention mhealth interventions that address the challenges and barriers HIVAfrican Americans face in engaging in cancer prevention behaviorsThe proposed study aims to fill this gap by developing and testing an individually tailoredculturally sensitive mhealth intervention that promotes cancerprevention behaviorsincluding ART adherenceamong HIVAfrican Americans