Influences on translation of an evidence-based HIV/STI intervention into practice

Oregon State University, Corvallis OR

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

Revised Information not provided. The ongoing HIV/AIDS and sexually transmitted infection (STI) epidemics in the United States require a strong, effective, and sustained public health response. Interventions delivered in public health venues and community-based organizations have the potential to reach individuals at high risk for transmission. While efficacious behavioral programs have been developed to address the spread of HIV and STIs, these programs have not been translated to practice. Our theoretical and practical understanding of translation is limited, and building knowledge in these areas is the critical next step in the scientific process. The ongoing effort, spearheaded by the Centers for Disease Control's (CDC) national Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBIs), provides an opportunity to investigate the translation of interventions to real world settings and build our knowledge of the science of translation. RESPECT, a new DEBI, is a two-session behavioral intervention that has been shown to be effective in reducing STIs (Kamb, 1998) and is appropriate for a wide variety of populations. The proposed study uses diffusion theory (Rogers, 2005) and a translation model, RE-AIM,(Glasgow, 1999;Green, 2006) as guiding frameworks. The study will fill a critical gap by examining adoption and implementation of RESPECT in 30 participating agencies in the western United States. Agencies will be stratified by agency type (i.e., community-based organization vs. public health venue) and by geographic locale (i.e., large urban areas vs. smaller cities). Triangulation of data from 1) agency management, 2) agency staff, and 3) clients will enhance study findings. Using a longitudinal design we will obtain critical new qualitative and quantitative data on implementation, with a focus on program fidelity. Further, we will document the cost of implementing RESPECT in participating agencies. Successful implementation is central to the translation of interventions from research to practice. This proposed research will provide foundational work that will strengthen adoption and practice patterns in agencies, enhance our theoretical understanding of translation, and lead to more effective translation and subsequently, to reductions in HIV/STI risk behavior.