CHIPTS Commitment to the Local Community

Continuing CHIPTS commitment to the local community, Dr. Veniegas and Mrs. Kao conducted workshops on HIV prevention evidence-based interventions and grant proposal preparation for the Proposal Preparedness Institute for Accion Mutua at the Los Angeles Convention Center January 15-18 and January 24-26. Dr. Veniegas led a workshop on submitting HIV grant proposals as part of this capacity-building institute sponsored by AIDS Project Los Angeles, Accion Mutua and the Los Angeles County Office of AIDS Programs and Policy.

With an estimated 4 million new HIV infections occurring annually worldwide, the development of new, safe, effective, and accessible prevention methods is urgently needed (Global HIV Prevention Working Group, 2006). Several new biomedical strategies to advance HIV prevention are currently being studied (i.e., microbicides, Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis, herpes suppression, and diaphragms) and preliminary evidence suggests the potential impact of each of these approaches in slowing the spread of HIV. Another biomedical strategy, adult male circumcision, was recently shown to be effective in reducing a man’s risk of acquiring HIV through heterosexual intercourse by 51% to 53% (Sawires, et al., 2007). It is likely that within the next few years other biomedical methods will demonstrate efficacy and will be introduced for general use in community and clinical settings.

This presentation will describe the final results from a key informant interview study of thirty-four staff from twenty-two community-based organizations which were adapting and implementing evidence-based HIV prevention interventions in Los Angeles, CA. Preliminary findings from this study were presented at the PPC Research Colloquia in October 2006. Key informants reported engaging in essential activities to facilitate the implementation of evidence-based interventions (EBIs). However, significant challenges were identified by these staff as they selected and planned for, implemented and sought to sustain their EBIs. The implications of these findings for future proposed prevention programs will be discussed. This project was funded by a State of California Universitywide AIDS Research Program grant (ID05LA024) to Rosemary C. Veniegas, Ph.D. in partnership with the City of Los Angeles AIDS Coordinator’s Office, and by an NIMH grant (P30 MH58107) to Mary Jane Rotheram Borus, Ph.D.

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 2006 CHIPTS ANNUAL REPORT