ALLEN/LOEB ASSOCIATES — Department of Health and Human Services SBIR Phase II: 102

Description

PROJECT SUMMARY ABSTRACT There is continuing need for improved strategies to prevent the spread of HIVparticularly among men who have sex with menMSMOver half of those living with HIV in the US are MSM and MSM continue to account for two thirds of new HIV infectionsPersonalized Cognitive CounselingPCCis a briefeffective HIV risk reduction intervention for MSMPCC has been designated by the Centers for Disease Control and PreventionCDCas aBest Evidence Interventionand the CDC actively disseminates PCC using training materials developed by the applicant companyAllen Loeb Associatesand the developer of PCCDrJames DilleyEmpirical data show that training is not sufficient for implementation of evidence based HIV prevention interventions in real world settingsPost training support is essentialyet no affordable support strategies are availableTo meet this needthe developers of the PCC intervention and training developed and tested two strategies for scalablelow costweb based post training support with Phase I SBIR funding from NIMHWeb Based Support For Implementation of Evidence Based HIV PreventionPCCRMHPhase I usability tests showed that both strategiesperson to person consultationP Pand video supportare highly acceptable to counselors and are associated with increases in counselor self efficacy related to PCC deliveryThis Phase II project builds on Phase I findings to rigorously test web based post training support for PCCSeventy five counselors who have recently completed PCC training will be randomized to one of three levels of increasingly intensive post training supportInformationVideo Support and InformationandP P and Video Support and InformationThe impact of post training support on PCC self efficacyknowledgeand implementation will be assessed at study entryweeks after study entry andmonths laterWe hypothesize thatthe impact of Video Support and Information will be greater than the impact of Information alone andthe impact of P P and Video Support and Information will be greater than both other conditionsResults of these hypothesis tests will inform the optimal configuration of post training support for commercializationThe Phase II study will yield a fully functionalmarket ready support platformThe primary target market for the platform is Capacity Building AssistanceCBAproviders that are funded by the CDC to provide technical assistance to the CBOshealth departmentsand hospitals that deliver evidence based HIV prevention interventionsThroughout the study periodexisting relationships with the CDC and CBA providers will be further developed to insure that the post training support platform meets customer needsThe web based support strategies developed for PCC can be generalized to other evidence based prevention interventions