Download Florida International University Latino HIV/AIDS Behavioral Science

National Center for Minority Health
and Health Disparities/ Florida
International University
Latino HIV/AIDS
Behavioral Science
Center
Mario De La Rosa, PhD
Director
FIU is among the top 50 leading research
institutions serving minority communities. In
2000, FIU received the highest research
university ranking conferred by the Carnegie
Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
MISSION
The Latino HIV/AIDS Behavioral Science
Center aims to further the development
of theory-based research on the extent
and nature of the HIV/AIDS epidemic
among Latinos. The Center is
contributing to the advancement of
knowledge in order to prevent the
spread of the epidemic among Latinos in
the Miami-Dade area.
STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
•To
increase the number of researchers doing work on the
epidemiology of HIV/AIDS and the development of effective
theory-based intervention models to address the growing
epidemic among Latino communities in Miami-Dade.
•To
increase awareness among HIV care providers about
the need for interventions that have been empirically
proven to be effective in addressing Latino communities
at risk for, or infected by, HIV. (i.e. men who have sex
with men, or MSM; injection drug users, or IDU,
women/IDU-bisexual males).
Need for the LHABSC: Miami Situation
(2002)
•Second
leading metropolitan area in AIDS cases (26,408).
•33 % of reported new HIV and AIDS cases were Latinos.
•34 % of estimated PLWA and 31 % of PLWH were Latinos.
•While the rates for Latinos are lower for new reported
cases of HIV/AIDS or all reported cases of HIV, the rates
of HIV infection and new reported have increased at a
faster pace among Latinos than African-Americans.
Sources: CDC (2003), Williams, Stern and Associates (2003)
Need for the LHABSC: Risk Factors
ranks as the 12th highest poverty rate among
the 100 largest counties.
•Miami ranks as the poorest large city in the United
States.
•60 % of Miami-Dade residents are Latino, many of them
recent immigrants with little or no knowledge about
HIV/AIDS.
•Miami has one of the largest illegal immigrant
population (400,000+), from Colombia, Venezuela,
Dominican Republic, and Haiti.
•Miami-Dade
Sources: The Miami Herald, (6/6/04); U.S. Census (2002); La Casa, (2004)
Need for the LHABSC: Risk Factors
•Only
22.2 % of Miami-Dade residents have a Bachelors
Degree.
•Another concern is the increasing number of migrant
young Latino MSM who have little knowledge about HIV/AIDS
prevention.
•There are few investigators conducting research on the
growing problem of HIV/AIDS with Latino populations in
Miami-Dade.
•There are few HIV programs providing culturally
competent services to Latinos at risk of HIV infection or
seropositives.
Sources: U.S. Census Bureau (2002)
CORES
1
2
3
4
Administration and Evaluation
Pilot Studies
Training
Community Outreach/Dissemination
ADMINISTRATION AND EVALUATION
CORE
Provides scientific leadership and maintains
administrative oversight of the Center.
Accomplishments:
•
•
•
•
Hiring of appropriate staff in all four
components of LHABSC
Informing the FIU community about the presence of
the LHABSC at FIU
Initial development of Evaluation plan of action
Initial development of a Website and brochure for
the LHABSC
ADMINISTRATION AND EVALUATION
CORE
Funding Opportunities
Efforts Undertaken:
1 Federal
•
4 R03- Doctoral Dissertation Research
•
Transgendered and Gay-identified Youth
2 Local
•
Latino Youth HIV Awareness Campaign
•
Clearinghouse on Best Practices in HIV/AIDS
Prevention and Interventions with Latinos
PILOT STUDIES CORE
Provides start-up funds for new projects
conducted by FIU faculty members.
Projects:
1 The Impact of HIV/AIDS among Latina/o Suicide
Victims. (Ramiro Martinez Jr., PhD)
2 Effectiveness and predictors of hepatitis C virus
(HCV) screening and post-test counseling in HCVpositive clients taking action to prevent HCV
transmission and liver disease progression. (Mary
Jo Trepka, MD, MSPH, Fermin Leguen, MD, MPH, Guoyan
Zhang, MD, MPH, Mario de la Rosa, PhD, Rob Malow,
PhD)
TRAINING CORE
Provides training experience for faculty and
graduate students in the submission of research
grants applications and papers to scientific
journals.
Accomplishments:
 A doctoral level course and a mentorship program to
help doctoral students submit grants to NIH were
developed. Currently, four doctoral students are
enrolled in the course.
 A faculty mentorship program that helps faculty
members involved with the LHABSC to submit grants
to NIH.
TRAINING CORE
Research paper writing laboratory
Accomplishments:
• One paper accepted for publication:
• A comparison of African American and Cuban American
adolescent juvenile offender’s risky sexual and
drug use behaviors. Jessy G. Dévieux, Robert M.
Malow, Emma Ergon-Pérez, Deanne Samuels, Patria
Rojas, Sarah R. Khushal, and Michèle Jean-Gilles
(In Press). Journal of Social Work Practice in the
Addictions.
TRAINING CORE
Papers under preparation:
1 Drug use and HIV risk behaviors among HIV–positive
Latino MSM in a large urban setting. (J. Felizzola;
M.De La Rosa)
2 Lessons learned from interviewing mono-lingual
Spanish-speakers HIV-positive individuals. (J.
Felizzola; S. Rajabiun, et al.)
TRAINING CORE
Abstracts Submitted for Conference Presentations:
1 Opportunities, Challenges and Successes of
International Research. (Miami Beach, Fl., August
25-27,2004. Drug Abuse and AIDS Research Center,
UM)
2 Ryan White Care Act- All Grantees Meeting.
(Washington D.C., August 23-24,2004. Health
Resources Services Administration.)
COMMUNITY OUTREACH AND
DISSEMINATION CORE
Partner with health care and community-based
organizations providing HIV/ AIDS services.
•
Long-lasting relationship with HIV providers.
•
Best practices in HIV prevention and intervention.
Community Outreach and Dissemination
Domain
Achievements/ Current Projects
Collaborative efforts
with local CBOs
Care Resource; Union Positiva; Corazones Unidos; The
Village South; Project Access
Open Forum
Town Hall Meeting – Sept 2004
Participation on Boards Community Jail Linkage Coalition;
HIV/AIDS Partnership
TV and Radio
Presentations
Channel 22 (Descalzi Vs. Brown, 3/29/04; Maria Elvira
Confronta, 4/14/04)
Collaboration with
National Organization
LLEGO- National Latino/a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual &
Transgender Organization
Attendance to
Seminars
Multicultural Conference on AIDS;
National Conference on Latinos and AIDS
STRATEGIC AREAS
Future Projects
1 Latino men who have sex with men and HIV/AIDS
risk.
• Recent migrant adults/ drug users
• Young Latinos/ drug users
2 Latino women and their sexual partners (drug
users/ men who have sex with men).
•Intergenerational relationships between mothers and
daughters substance abusers and HIV/AIDS risk.
•Condom use/negotiation among Latinas with sexual
partners who engage in HIV/AIDS risk behavior.
CLOSING REMARKS