Grant funds are requested to refine and test the efficacy and mechanisms of change of a theoretically and empirically based, culturally specific HIV/AIDS risk reduction intervention program (referred to as JEMADARI [pronounced """"""""JEM a DAH ree""""""""]) designed for drug dependent African-American men. The JEMADARI intervention will be evaluated by comparing it to an attention control intervention using a stratified randomized cluster design (n=600 African-American men).
The specific aims of the study are to: (1) Evaluate the effectiveness of a culturally specific intervention in reducing drug- and sexual risk-related behaviors in African-American drug-dependent men, (2) Assess the impact of the intervention on increasing adaptive coping skills; perceptions of personal control in sexual, drug and relationship domains; ethnic identity; satisfaction with life direction; and adaptive peer group support, and (3) Examine the mechanisms by which the intervention affects study outcomes. In particular, the study will investigate whether increased adaptive coping skills, perceptions of personal control, ethnic identity, satisfaction with life direction, and adaptive peer group support at post intervention predict decreases in drug- and sexual risk-related behaviors at six-month follow-up. First, we will conduct a six-month quality assurance phase. We will conduct this phase with 80 men recruited from the Oasis site of Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM). This pilot study will allow us to access (a) the feasibility of implementation of the intervention, (b) usefulness of the curricula and any revisions required, (c) additional training needs of facilitators, (d) strategies for intervention fidelity, (e) strategies for identifying, recruiting and retaining participants, and (f) appropriateness of measures. This will be followed by a two-year test of the JEMDARI program using a stratified randomized cluster design with 600 participants located at five residential facilities operated by DRMM. Participants will receive either the experimental (JEMADARI) or attention control condition. We will collect information from all participants at baseline (pre-test), post-test, and six-month follow-up. At each measurement point, participants will complete a set of measures that will tap constructs targeted by the intervention.
