Adolescents are at particular risk for acquiring HIV, and increasing numbers of young African American women are affected by the epidemic. We have developed a new theory-based model from the literature to investigate the impact of provider-patient interaction, mutual exchange of information and psychosocial development on the return for recommended visits to the Fulton STD clinic in Atlanta, Georgia. Previous studies indicated that health care providers could influence adherence to treatment and management of chronic diseases in adults. Most of these constructs have not been operationalized or tested with adolescents. Some questions concerning consumer opinions of providers have been adapted to the adolescent population especially with respect to patient satisfaction and access to care. In addition, a model of adolescent psychosocial maturity suggests that interpersonal skills may increase the ability of adolescents to communicate with providers. However, there is little information about the impact of providers on adolescents who are being treated for STDs to increase their likelihood of returning for future STD visits. For our last submission, we piloted the questionnaire with 60 African American adolescent girls and young women from the Fulton Clinic, obtained feedback about the draft questionnaire, and found that 33% of participants indicated high mutuality scores. After the second review, we have adjusted the plan in response to reviewers to refine our outcome variables, address potential confounders and developmental issues, and incorporate focus groups in the initial and final phases of the project. This project """"""""develops and tests new methods"""""""" under the NIMH RO3 grants program, using a unique window of opportunity to complement the currently NIMH funded grant (R01 MH61210) designed to test an HIV prevention intervention (the HORIZONS Project) at a state supported STD clinic that serves a large population of African American adolescent girls aged 15-19 years old. This new initiative will develop and test culturally and developmentally sensitive measurement tools specifically for adolescent girls being treated for STDs concerning the association of provider-patient relationships and mutuality of exchange of information with return for subsequent health care visits. If these measures are useful, then an intervention can be designed to enhance provider-patient mutual exchange of information and reduce the future risk of STDs and HIV infection.
| Sales, Jessica M; DiClemente, Ralph J; Rose, Eve S et al. (2007) Relationship of STD-related shame and stigma to female adolescents'condom-protected intercourse. J Adolesc Health 40:573.e1-6 |
| Woods, Elizabeth R; Klein, Jonathan D; Wingood, Gina M et al. (2006) Development of a new Adolescent Patient-Provider Interaction Scale (APPIS) for youth at risk for STDs/HIV. J Adolesc Health 38:753.e1-7 |
