Recent estimates place the rate of HIV infection among prisoners at four times that of the general population, or 1.7% (BJS 2006;CDC, 2008ab), and rates of HCV infection is estimated to be between 20 and 40% (CDC, 2003). Latinos account for approximately 31% of all inmates in the United States. As part of NIDA's Criminal Justice Drug Abuse Treatment Studies (CJ-DATS) cooperative agreement, a peer delivered DVD-based intervention for African-American and White criminal justice clients was previously developed and found effective in reducing sexual risk;however, no intervention was developed for Latino offenders. Using a stage model approach and the Information-Motivations-Behavioral (IMB) model, the overall goals of the proposed project is to develop and pilot test a novel, culturally-appropriate HIV/HCV intervention protocol for drug- involved Latino criminal justice clients in Miami, Florida.
The specific aims for the Stage 1a portion of the study are the following: (1) to identify the salient individual and cultural factors that influence HIV/HCV risk and preventive behaviors among heterosexual Latino criminal justice clients through key informant interviews and focus groups;(2) to develop a brief, peer-delivered DVD-based HIV/HCV intervention targeting heterosexual community-based Latino criminal justice clients that include risk factors identified in the formative qualitative research;and (3) to develop and refine an intervention manual and training procedures.
The specific aims for Stage1b are: (1) to pilot test and evaluate the effectiveness of the DVD-based HIV intervention by recruiting 210 Latino offenders mandated to substance abuse treatment;and (2) to evaluate both participant and interventionist acceptability of this novel DVD intervention. Participants will be recruited from a local community agency that provides outpatient substance abuse treatment services for court-mandated individuals. Eligible participants will be self-identified Latino/Hispanic, between the ages of 18 and 49, heterosexual, and all participants will be involved with the criminal justice system. Participants will be randomized into either an intervention or a wait-list control condition. The intervention consists of one DVD-based group session facilitated by an interventionist. Sexual risk, drug use, mental health, and background information will be assessed and HIV/HCV testing provided at baseline, and assessed again at 3 months after the intervention session. At the end of the intervention session, each participant will complete an acceptability questionnaire, and the interventionist will complete a checklist to assess treatment fidelity. It is hypothesized that both sexual risk and drug use behaviors will decrease between baseline and follow-up for the intervention group compared to the control group. The project is innovative because it will develop a DVD-based, culturally-appropriate and language specific, HIV/HCV prevention intervention for Latino offenders. The proposed research is significant, because it is expected to produce a brief HIV/HCV intervention that can be implemented within the criminal justice system and targets a high risk group.

Public Health Relevance

The proposed study is relevant to public health because it focuses on two major public health concerns - HIV/HCV infection;and it also targets a high risk group in drug-involved Latino offenders. Because Latinos are the fastest growing and largest minority group in the United States, the proposed intervention will have a significant impact. The proposed study is relevant to NIDA's mission by addressing the strategic goal of diminishing the spread of drug abuse-related HIV and minimizing the associated health and social consequences of the disease.

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)
Type
Planning Grant (R34)
Project #
5R34DA031063-02
Application #
8474739
Study Section
Behavioral and Social Science Approaches to Preventing HIV/AIDS Study Section (BSPH)
Program Officer
Aklin, Will
Project Start
2012-06-01
Project End
2015-05-31
Budget Start
2013-06-01
Budget End
2014-05-31
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
2013
Total Cost
$198,288
Indirect Cost
$68,688
Name
University of Delaware
Department
Miscellaneous
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
059007500
City
Newark
State
DE
Country
United States
Zip Code
19716
Ibañez, Gladys E; Agudo, Michelle; Martin, Steve S et al. (2017) Offending Behavior, Drug Use, and Mental Health Among Foreign-Born versus U.S. Born Latino Criminal Justice Clients. J Immigr Minor Health 19:674-685
Ibañez, Gladys E; Whitt, Elaine; Avent, Tenesha et al. (2017) 'Love and trust, you can be blinded': HIV risk within relationships among Latina women in Miami, Florida. Ethn Health 22:510-527
Ibañez, Gladys E; Whitt, Elaine; Rosa, Mario de la et al. (2016) Developing a Culturally Appropriate HIV and Hepatitis C Prevention Intervention for Latino Criminal Justice Clients. J Correct Health Care 22:206-17
Sastre, Francisco; De La Rosa, Mario; Ibanez, Gladys E et al. (2015) Condom use preferences among Latinos in Miami-Dade: emerging themes concerning men's and women's culturally-ascribed attitudes and behaviours. Cult Health Sex 17:667-81
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