The objective of this study is to evaluate acceptability of topical microbicide use for STD prevention among young women from middle adolescence to early adulthood. This project has an integrated methodological approach and makes use of the Biostatistical and Clinical Cores of the CRC proposal. This proposal examines developmental, behavioral, and attitudinal issues relevant to microbicide acceptability.
Specific Aims : 1. To assess acceptability as a function of relationship status and different age cohorts across adolescence and young adulthood, including examinations of relationship quality, self-efficacy, and microbicide characteristics as predictors of acceptability. 2. To assess developmental changes in acceptability of topical microbicides over a 4-year time span. 3. To assess acceptability through field trials of a vaginal moisturizer among older adolescents and young adults. Methods: The first specific aim will involve cross-sectional analyses of in-person interviews with partner-specific questions about microbicide acceptability. The second specific aim trill involve longitudinal analysis of the same interview data. Microbicide acceptability will be measured by participant ratings of 14 described microbicides, each uniquely defined along 4 dimensions: 1) timing of application in relation to coitus; 2) vehicle texture; 3) contraceptive action; and efficacy. The third specific aim will be accomplished through the use of daily diary collection in which participants will indicate their reactions to the use of the vaginal moisturizer. 150 young women at high risk for STD are expected to participate for lims 1 and 2 and 100 women to participate for aim 3. The study protocol involves baseline and quarterly in-person interviews for 48 months, baseline and yearly self-report questionnaires, and two 1-month diary periods per year for 3 years. Significance: the work has the potential to inform, methodologically, the structure and development of Phase 2 and 3 clinical trials for microbicides among adolescents.
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