CruzWhitley--Developing HIV vaccine research educational materials

CruzWhitley--Developing HIV vaccine research educational materials

by Jessica -

1. Identify a patient or community group that contributes to or is involved in the principal behavior you are attempting to improve with your intervention

 The community group targeted for behavior change is the HIV negative, Black and Latino MSM community.

2. Using any of the individual explanatory theories in “Theory at a Glance”, develop an explanatory model for the target behavior (above) that you will be attempting to influence with your intervention.  This can be an extension/based on expected findings (or previously published literature) from your answers to Homework #3.  Figures are always very useful... keep it simple.

The model that best fits my target behavior change, increased enrollment in HIV vaccine trials by Black and Latino MSM, is social cognitive theory.

 3. Identify how one or more of your specific interventions will target one or more of these key factors contributing to the behavior of interest.

My intervention is the development of an educational video to inform potential participants about HIV vaccine research. This video will address the following concepts in social cognitive theory:

Behavioral capability

The intervention will educate viewers on the fundamentals of HIV vaccine research so that they increase their knowledge and are well informed. 

Expectations

The intervention will inform viewers what their role would be as part of a trial and how their participation would benefit the HIV vaccine field.

Self-efficacy

Small and easy steps will be outlined for how viewers can become involved in HIV vaccine research.

Reciprocal determinism

The video will be developed by HIV vaccine researchers and a community advocacy group to deliver a united message to viewers. Focus group viewing of the video will enable us to obtain viewer input regarding the message and whether or not it made them more likely to participate in HIV vaccine research and/or share information regarding HIV vaccine research to their peers. Individual surveys asking the same information will provide us with even more information regarding the message delivered and allow for adjustments.

 

4. Create a framework that draws upon a socio-ecological framework to orient your target behavior within a larger context.  ie, what are some of broader, external forces that influence the individual behavior of interest...see Figure 2 of “Theory at a Glance.”

 Levels of influence:

Intrapersonal level: lack of knowledge of HIV and/or HIV vaccine research, fear of HIV, fear of research in general

Interpersonal level: family unaware of sexual orientation and so concern that participation in HIV vaccine research would raise suspicion; friends may have had a bad experience as participants in a trial and discourage participation

Community Level

         Institutional factors: work or school obligations may make                                     participation difficult  

         Public policy: may lack health insurance or be undocumented so                   never receive exposure to HIV prevention services/information

Re: CruzWhitley--Developing HIV vaccine research educational materials

by Lisa Thompson -

Hi Jessica, The first three concepts in SCT described the content of the video and reciprocal determinism was used to describe the making of the video. How will reciprocal determinism, or dynamic, iterative interactions between individuals and their environment, be measured in the context of making a video? Other concepts in SCT that might apply to the content of the video would be observational learning (demonstration of someone who gets info about HIV vaccine research and decides to enroll--modeling the behavior you want in the viewers) or reinforcements (good things happen to communities as a result of participants in HIV vax trials).

Given the fears and mistrust about research involvement that you mentioned in Week 1, the health belief model would also be a great theory for getting into perceptions of severity/barriers. 

Re: CruzWhitley--Developing HIV vaccine research educational materials

by Heidi Moseson -

Hi Jessica - this is great, very clear and specific.

I would echo the previous comment about observational learning - in prior work with the SCT framework, that has shown to be a really powerful motivator. If the film could weave in personal stories and experiences from a range of different target groups in seeking and obtaining the vaccine, that might help.

How do you intend to distribute the video? To make sure that it is seen by your target populations? It may be helpful to try to link distribution of the video with as many other "cues to action" as possible - to facilitate self-efficacy in actually obtaining the vaccine. For example, at the end of each video, list where and how an individual can go to get the vaccine, etc. Or have screenings of the video routinely at places where individuals can get the vaccine, etc.