Project POWER: A Health Promotion & HIV Risk Reduction Intervention for Black Men

 

Funder: CDC - Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Sr. Principal Investigator: Isabel M. Fernandez, PhD, Professor of Public Health and Preventive Medicine of Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL
Jr. Principal Investigator: Sybil G. Hosek, PhD/ Clinical Psychology at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Chicago, IL

Dr. Hosek is a clinical psychologist in the Department of Psychiatry at John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County. Dr. Hosek holds a Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology with a concentration in Community Psychology. Her research has focused on the psychological needs of minority adolescents and young adults living with HIV and the impact of these needs on their risk practices, health related and health seeking behavior (e.g. adherence). As a complement to her research activities, Dr. Hosek has been providing individual and group psychotherapy, substance abuse treatment to individuals living with HIV during the past ten years. Dr. Hosek has continued her commitment to HIV research in her role as co-chair of the Behavioral Leadership Group of the Adolescent Trial Network and as Principal Investigator in four ATN protocols.

Project Summary:
In the United States, Blacks continue to be disproportionately impacted by HIV/ AIDS. They account for only 13% of the population, yet comprise 51% of new HIV/ AIDS cases diagnoses between 2001-2004. Black men who have sex with men (MSM), whether they identify themselves as gay, bisexual, or heterosexual are the group most severely impacted by HIV as compared to other high-risk groups. This is particularly true in Chicago, an MSA that ranked fourth among US metropolitan areas in AIDS case rates among Black males in 2004. Male to male sexual contact is the primary mode of transmission for Black men in Chicago. In 2005, 44% of AIDS cases in Chicago were among MSM and 59% of cases among MSM were Black. The proposed study addresses the HIV prevention needs of Black-bisexually active men (BMSMW) by developing and testing a theoretically based, culturally and contextually appropriate health promotion and HIV risk reduction intervention, Project POWER. POWER, designed to be delivered through face-to-face (FtF) interaction or through the internet in real time, consists of four weekly sessions lasting from 60 to 90 minutes. The current application builds on prior successful collaboration between the Senior (Dr. Fernandez) and junior (Dr. Hosek) investigators, the experienced research team and TaskForce (a CBO with long history of service to BMSMW in the Chicago, MSA).