The Strong African American Families (SAAF) HIV prevention program is the first intervention developed specifically for rural African American youth and tested in a randomized prevention trial. Analyses of data gathered from rural African American families with middle-school-aged youth supported SAAF's efficacy in deterring youths'vulnerability to HIV-related risk behavior 2 years post-intervention. Some participants, however, experienced extensive barriers to attending the group-based prevention sessions, such as a lack of transportation, inflexible work schedules, exhausting jobs, and responsibility for the care of children other than the target youth. Recent advances in computer-based interactive technology offer a potentially cost-effective means to implement SAAF that could overcome rural African American families'logistical and practical barriers to attending prevention program sessions. Rural African Americans'increasing access to and familiarity with computer technology make a computer-based version of SAAF a feasible option that would ultimately facilitate the program's large-scale diffusion. In this proposal, we request 5 years of additional funding to conduct a three-arm prevention trial in which families will be randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a computer-based version of SAAF, SAAF- CD;(2) the original group-based program, SAAF;or (3) a minimal intervention control group. Alongside this prevention trial, we propose to conduct an economic evaluation of the interventions. This design provides information about the potential of a computer-based versus a group-based intervention to increase the accessibility and diffusion potential of HIV risk reduction programming for rural African Americans. We will test the hypothesis that SAAF-CD will be efficacious, but expect it to be less so than the group-based version, Economic analysis will be performed to ascertain if this decrement may be acceptable and even preferable if SAAF-CD is more cost-effective. The sample will include 600 rural African American families with a 7th-grade student. Pre-intervention, post-intervention, and long-term follow-up assessments of youths'sexual behavior will be gathered from the entire sample.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01MH063043-10
Application #
8115200
Study Section
Behavioral and Social Science Approaches to Preventing HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSPH)
Program Officer
Kamath, Susannah M Allison
Project Start
2000-09-30
Project End
2013-02-28
Budget Start
2011-06-01
Budget End
2012-02-29
Support Year
10
Fiscal Year
2011
Total Cost
$571,408
Indirect Cost
Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Social Sciences
Type
Schools of Education
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37212
Murry, Velma McBride; Berkel, Cady; Liu, Na (2018) The Closing Digital Divide: Delivery Modality and Family Attendance in the Pathways for African American Success (PAAS) Program. Prev Sci 19:642-651
McBride Murry, Velma (2014) Evaluating the contributions of culture and cultural fit in evidence-based programs: a commentary. J Clin Child Adolesc Psychol 43:454-8
Berkel, Cady; Murry, Velma McBride; Roulston, Kathryn J et al. (2013) Understanding the art and science of implementation in the SAAF efficacy trial. Health Educ (Lond) 113:297-323
Murry, Velma McBride; Heflinger, Craig Anne; Suiter, Sarah V et al. (2011) Examining perceptions about mental health care and help-seeking among rural African American families of adolescents. J Youth Adolesc 40:1118-31
Murry, Velma McBride; Berkel, Cady; Chen, Yi-Fu et al. (2011) Intervention induced changes on parenting practices, youth self-pride and sexual norms to reduce HIV-related behaviors among rural African American youths. J Youth Adolesc 40:1147-63
Murry, Velma McBride; Berkel, Cady; Brody, Gene H et al. (2009) Linking parental socialization to interpersonal protective processes, academic self-presentation, and expectations among rural African American youth. Cultur Divers Ethnic Minor Psychol 15:1-10
Berkel, Cady; Murry, Velma McBride; Hurt, Tera R et al. (2009) It takes a village: protecting rural African American youth in the context of racism. J Youth Adolesc 38:175-88
Murry, Velma McBride; Berkel, Cady; Brody, Gene H et al. (2007) The Strong African American Families program: longitudinal pathways to sexual risk reduction. J Adolesc Health 41:333-42