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Developing Computer-Based STI/HIV Prevention Interventions for Hispanic Women

Award Information
Agency: Department of Health and Human Services
Branch: National Institutes of Health
Contract: 2R44MD005189-02
Agency Tracking Number: R44MD005189
Amount: $993,791.00
Phase: Phase II
Program: SBIR
Solicitation Topic Code: NIMHD
Solicitation Number: PA11-096
Timeline
Solicitation Year: 2012
Award Year: 2012
Award Start Date (Proposal Award Date): N/A
Award End Date (Contract End Date): N/A
Small Business Information
201 MAIN STREET SUITE 100
LOS ALTOS, CA -
United States
DUNS: 123543399
HUBZone Owned: No
Woman Owned: Yes
Socially and Economically Disadvantaged: Yes
Principal Investigator
 TAMARA KUHN
 (650) 949-3282
 tkuhn@socio.com
Business Contact
 TAMARA MA
Phone: (650) 383-6265
Email: tkuhn@socio.com
Research Institution
 Stub
Abstract

ABSTRACT Latinas have been disproportionately affected by HIV/AIDS since the beginning of the epidemic. Nearly 19% of women living with HIV/AIDS are Latina, even though Latinas constitute only 16% of US women, and HIV/AIDS is the fourth leading cause of death in Latinas aged 35-44. In 2006, Latinas represented one-quarter of new HIV infections in women, a rate of HIV infection four times higher than that of white women. While some behavioral prevention interventions tailored for Latinas have shown efficacyin reducing sexual risk, their successful replication has been hampered by cost, implementation challenges, and participation retention. At the same time, a new wave of computer-delivered interventions has emerged in the past few years, but none of theseprograms are tailored for adult Latinas or available in Spanish language versions. This project will address these gaps by continuing development of and conducting a randomized controlled efficacy trial on culturally tailored, English and Spanish language,computer-delivered versions of Project SAFE, an existing efficacious HIV prevention program for minority women. The resulting product will (1) make an efficacious HIV prevention intervention widely available to service agencies at low cost; (2) facilitatefaithful program implementation (i.e., by means of a computer) with minimal staff involvement; (3) promote target population participation by permitting sensitive topics to be addressed privately (i.e., one-on-one with the computer) and according to a flexible schedule; and, (4) reduce sexual risk-taking behavior and HIV infection rates among Latinas, who are disproportionately affected by the HIV/AIDS epidemic.

* Information listed above is at the time of submission. *

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