Mandated HIV Service Provider Confidentiality Training

Social Sciences Innovations Corporation, New York NY

Investigators

Abstract

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Individuals with HIV/AIDS live with stigma and are frequently the victims of discrimination by the general population (fearful of contagion and ignorant of how HIV is transmitted), and by employers who overestimate diminished capacities. Individuals who may be HIV positive, aware of this stigma, often avoid testing or treatment fearful that their HIV status may be disclosed. Therefore, there is a great need for anyone with knowledge of an individual's HIV status to maintain strict confidentiality. New York State has mandated initial as well as annual refresher courses on confidentiality for NYS HIV service providers. There is a significant statewide shortage of available training slots. This proposal will create a web-based, self-directed, highly interactive, computer assisted instruction (CAI) program that is tailored to the needs of individual learners and can be used both for initial and refresher courses. The CAI course will resolve many problems encountered with the face-to-face course due to diversity of occupations and management levels. A web-based CAI can be taken anywhere, any time, by a virtually unlimited number of people. With responses to a few brief screener questions, the CAI course will be tailored to the role of the individual taking it. During Phase I, the present New York State-approved curriculum will be modified and adapted for CAI format, and a prototype containing two of 15 modules will be developed. The curriculum development process will be informed by feedback from state experts on the law, an Expert Advisory Panel of experienced CAI developers, and actual NYS HIV service providers. Feasibility of the prototype will be evaluated in a pretest- post-test design regarding their knowledge of HIV confidentially law administered to consumers who use the two-module prototype. Once this web-based CAI course is implemented for NYS, it will be expanded through other projects to include other regions and nationally.