Candidate: Ann Kurth is Assistant Professor at the University of Washington (UW). She has an MPH (Columbia), MSN (Yale), and PhD (Epidemiology, UW). Her immediate goal is to obtain training in information technologies for health promotion to HIV-positive individuals. Her career goal is to build, an independent research program that uses these technologies to systematically address the health protection needs of vulnerable populations. Educational Plan: UW is well-established in HIV and informatics research, making it ideal for advanced studies in this area. Dr. Kurth's primary sponsor is King K. Holmes, MD, PhD. Research Plan: Helping HIV-positive individuals to adhere to their antiretroviral treatment (ART) and to prevent HIV transmission will improve the nation's health by reducing HIV morbidity, mortality, and drug resistance. Since these behaviors are dynamic, innovative interventions are needed over time. Computer tools offer such a strategy. We will adapt and evaluate a 'Computer-Assisted Rx Education for HIV-Positives: CARE+' tool whose purpose is to deliver an integrated ART adherence and HIV transmission risk reduction intervention at the UW HIV clinic and at an AIDS service organization. CARE+ will build on a successfully developed software platform and will comprise risk assessment, medication monitoring, tailored feedback, stage-based skills-building videos, motivational interviewing counseling, an integrated health promotion plan, and printout with referrals.
Aim 1 : Identify common elements of adherence and transmission behaviors, health communication needs, and technology attitudes (n=30 interviews); incorporate into CARE+ and test usability (n=30).
Aim 2 : Randomized clinical trial of HIV-positive adults on ART. Arm 1: CARE+ (n=70); Arm 2: computer risk assessment (n=70, to control for intervention effect of assessment); Arm 3: standard of care encounter (n=70). Arms 1 and 2 perform baseline, 3-, 6-, and 9-month sessions; Arm 3 undertakes computer risk assessment at 9 months. Compare outcomes: a) adherence by plasma HIV viral load and b) HIV transmission risk behaviors.
Aim 3 : Provide data for HIV transmission dynamics impact modeling
| Kurth, Ann E; Spielberg, Freya; Cleland, Charles M et al. (2014) Computerized counseling reduces HIV-1 viral load and sexual transmission risk: findings from a randomized controlled trial. J Acquir Immune Defic Syndr 65:611-20 |
| Pearson, Cynthia R; Cassels, Susan; Kurth, Ann E et al. (2011) Change in sexual activity 12 months after ART initiation among HIV-positive Mozambicans. AIDS Behav 15:778-87 |
| Morris, Martina; Kurth, Ann E; Hamilton, Deven T et al. (2009) Concurrent partnerships and HIV prevalence disparities by race: linking science and public health practice. Am J Public Health 99:1023-31 |
