The Principal Investigator proposes to develop an interactive multimedia program, the Computerized Behavioral Assessment Tool for HIV Risk. The COMBAT-HIV is designed for use by alcohol treatment facilities to improve HIV/AIDS-related knowledge, behavioral change, and motivation in clients. Behavioral prevention strategies aimed at risk reduction remain the primary method for fighting the spread of the virus for the foreseeable future. Alcoholics are at high risk, yet few HIV/AIDS risk reduction programs are designed specifically for alcoholism treatment. The COMBAT-HIV combines advances in tailoring health interventions and risk reduction strategies with interactive multimedia technologies to develop an individualized, educational, and intervention approach to reduce risk for alcoholics. It offers advantages over less active and less personalized video, group, and lecture-based HIV/AIDS programs. If such a program demonstrated increased clinical and cost-effectiveness over standard HIV/AIDS programs, treatment providers would likely view it as a desirable way to reduce HIV risk in their patients. In Phase I the Principal Investigator and associates will define the components of the program, outline five HIV/AIDS risk areas to be addressed, develop prototypes of the computer interface and client-feedback report, and produce and test a demo CD-ROM. In Phase II they will complete the program and field test it to demonstrate efficacy and product satisfaction.
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