A Review of Process and Outcome Measurements in Community-Level HIV Behavioral Interventions among Men Who Have Sex with Men
Public Deposited- Last Modified
- February 27, 2019
- Creator
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Reott, Karyn
- Affiliation: Gillings School of Global Public Health, Public Health Leadership Program
- Abstract
- Introduction: Many effective HIV behavioral interventions among men who have sex with men (MSM) utilize the Popular Opinion Leader (POL) model of promoting safer sexual behavior, based on Rogers‟ diffusion of innovations theory (Rogers, 2003). This paper reviews the process and outcome measures used in a sample of published POL interventions focused on MSM, and examines best practices in both process execution and in outcome measurement among studies of this type. Methods: I reviewed six studies selected from a PubMed database search that met the following criteria: HIV community intervention among men who have sex with men, which used or intended to use the popular opinion leader methodology. The process measures I reviewed include selection of study venue, identification and recruitment of popular opinion leaders within the community, obtaining a critical mass of POLs needed to effect changes in behavioral norms, and effective training of POLs. The outcome measures I reviewed include behavioral measures, survey recall period, and the difficulties in supplementing the behavioral measures with biological measures. An additional intervention design element I considered was time to follow up and the need for continued follow up. Results: Of the six studies I reviewed, four reported statistically significant reductions in sexual risk behavior among the intervention population. Problems in POL identification and recruitment, as well as limitations in the POL training provided, appear to be factors in the lack of successful results for the two other studies. Implementation challenges existed in these two settings, however, which may have reduced the potential for diffusion of innovation. Discussion: Difficulties experienced by two studies point out the need for additional research in HIV POL interventions in large metropolitan settings, and the need for longer follow up periods to measure any lasting behavioral changes resulting from the interventions. Measurement of biological outcomes in HIV behavioral interventions in a community setting present ethical and expense issues, with the result that most studies of this type rely on reported behavioral outcomes to define intervention success.
- Date of publication
- May 2008
- DOI
- Resource type
- Rights statement
- In Copyright
- Note
- Paper type: Research or research design
- Advisor
- Pavlica, Hollie
- Reviewer
- MacDonald, Pia
- Degree
- Master of Public Health
- Degree granting institution
- University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
- Language
- Deposit record
- 564d1737-ca9b-4211-9c3e-c1926665c3df
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