Mentoring in patient-oriented research on HIV prevention in the U.S. and Global South

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Abstract

ABSTRACT This is a career mentoring award to support Dr. Matthews with protected time to create and deploy a sustainable, structured approach to mentoring and to increase the number of trainees mentored. The PI, Lynn Matthews, MD, MPH is an infectious disease trained clinician-scientist with research expertise developing and testing HIV prevention strategies for men and women in the context of sexual health and reproductive goals. Her mentoring portfolio focuses on groups who face barriers to becoming independent investigators in science and medicine. Mentees will work alongside Dr. Matthews on newly proposed research in this K24 and ongoing NIH-funded studies in the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa. Dr. Matthews proposes mentoring aims to (1) Provide mentorship in HIV prevention research to an estimated 15 investigators in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Matthews seeks training in skills and tools to effectively mentor and optimize mentorship and support for trainees conducting patient-oriented research. (2) Establish a structured mentoring program to support mentees (phase 1) and mentors (phase 2) to be delivered within the UAB CFAR and adapted for collaborative partners. Dr. Matthews proposes novel research aims using new skills gleaned through training aims. The research will be informed by the Health Equity Implementation Framework to (1) explore preliminary implementation strategies for novel PrEP agents for people of reproductive potential in Alabama and Uganda. She proposes a rapid analysis approach to analyze in-depth interviews and focus group discussions conducted with key stakeholders and end-users (people of reproductive potential with potential for HIV exposure) across the two sites. Surveys with providers, administrators, and other key stakeholders will assess feasibility and acceptability with an emphasis on issues of equity of the implementation strategies raised in the qualitative work to inform a future implementation trial. She will then select preliminary implementation strategies for a future adaptive trial through a modified Delphi process. Dr. Matthews and the team will use these data and information from the literature to design an adaptive trial for evaluating implementation strategies for novel PrEP for people of reproductive potential in rural Uganda and Alabama. This award will contribute to the growth of talented researchers, while advancing the science of HIV prevention implementation in the U.S. and sub-Saharan Africa.