scholarly journals Empowerment Evaluation: A Case Study of Citywide Implementation Within an HIV Prevention Context

2018 ◽  
Vol 40 (3) ◽  
pp. 318-334 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gregory Phillips ◽  
Peter Lindeman ◽  
Christian N. Adames ◽  
Emily Bettin ◽  
Christopher Bayston ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Empowerment Evaluation ◽  
Evaluation Approach ◽  
Similar Work ◽  
Novel Approach ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Learning Focused

HIV continues to significantly impact the health of communities, particularly affecting racially and ethnically diverse men who have sex with men and transgender women. In response, health departments often fund a number of community organizations to provide each of these subgroups with comprehensive and culturally responsive services. To this point, evaluators have focused on individual interventions but have largely overlooked the complex environment in which these interventions are implemented, including other programs funded to do similar work. The Evaluation Center was funded by the City of Chicago in 2015 to conduct a citywide evaluation of all HIV prevention programming. This article will describe our novel approach to adapt the principles and methods of the empowerment evaluation approach, to effectively engage with 20 city-funded prevention programs to collect and synthesize multisite evaluation data, and ultimately build capacity at these organizations to foster a learning-focused community.

scholarly journals Using Partially-Observed Facebook Networks to Develop a Peer-Based HIV Prevention Intervention: Case Study (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aditya Subhash Khanna ◽  
Steven Michael Goodreau ◽  
Stuart Michaels ◽  
John Alexis Schneider
Keyword(s):  
Social Networks ◽  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Black Men ◽  
Change Agents ◽  
Eigenvector Centrality ◽  
Promising Alternative ◽  
Peer Network ◽  
Partially Observed ◽  
Sex With Men

BACKGROUND This is a case study from an HIV prevention project among young black men who have sex with men. Individual-level prevention interventions have had limited success among young black men who have sex with men, a population that is disproportionately affected by HIV; peer network–based interventions are a promising alternative. Facebook is an attractive digital platform because it enables broad characterization of social networks. There are, however, several challenges in using Facebook data for peer interventions, including the large size of Facebook networks, difficulty in assessing appropriate methods to identify candidate peer change agents, boundary specification issues, and partial observation of social network data. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to explore methodological challenges in using social Facebook networks to design peer network–based interventions for HIV prevention and present techniques to overcome these challenges. METHODS Our sample included 298 uConnect study respondents who answered a bio-behavioral survey in person and whose Facebook friend lists were downloaded (2013-2014). The study participants had over 180,000 total Facebook friends who were not involved in the study (nonrespondents). We did not observe friendships between these nonrespondents. Given the large number of nonrespondents whose networks were partially observed, a relational boundary was specified to select nonrespondents who were well connected to the study respondents and who may be more likely to influence the health behaviors of young black men who have sex with men. A stochastic model-based imputation technique, derived from the exponential random graph models, was applied to simulate 100 networks where unobserved friendships between nonrespondents were imputed. To identify peer change agents, the eigenvector centrality and keyplayer positive algorithms were used; both algorithms are suitable for identifying individuals in key network positions for information diffusion. For both algorithms, we assessed the sensitivity of identified peer change agents to the imputation model, the stability of identified peer change agents across the imputed networks, and the effect of the boundary specification on the identification of peer change agents. RESULTS All respondents and 78.9% (183/232) of nonrespondents selected as peer change agents by eigenvector on the imputed networks were also selected as peer change agents on the observed networks. For keyplayer, the agreement was much lower; 42.7% (47/110) and 35.3% (110/312) of respondent and nonrespondent peer change agents, respectively, selected on the imputed networks were also selected on the observed network. Eigenvector also produced a stable set of peer change agents across the 100 imputed networks and was much less sensitive to the specified relational boundary. CONCLUSIONS Although we do not have a gold standard indicating which algorithm produces the most optimal set of peer change agents, the lower sensitivity of eigenvector centrality to key assumptions leads us to conclude that it may be preferable. The methods we employed to address the challenges in using Facebook networks may prove timely, given the rapidly increasing interest in using online social networks to improve population health.

scholarly journals Engaging Ethnic-Diverse Students: A Research Based on Culturally Responsive Teaching for Roma-Gypsy Students

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (11) ◽  
pp. 739
Author(s):  
Jennifer Meléndez-Luces ◽  
Pilar Couto-Cantero
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Foreign Language ◽  
Culturally Responsive Teaching ◽  
Culturally Responsive ◽  
Ethnically Diverse ◽  
Diverse Students ◽  
Responsive Teaching ◽  
North West ◽  
The North

Intercultural Education is a key feature in the development of inclusion strategies aimed at ethnically diverse students. Transformative approaches towards learning such as Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) are essential in order to answer the educative needs that arise due to the coexistence between ethnic minorities and mainstream society. Therefore, cultural and historical representation of these communities play an important role as gatekeepers in order to achieve positive results as far as inclusive education is concerned. This article explores research based on a case study carried out in a high school located in the North-West of Spain developing successful learning stories after implementing the CRT methodology within the teaching of English as a foreign language. For its development, this article examines the trajectory of education with Roma-Gypsy students and moves forward with previous studies that endorse the success of using this approach among ethnically diverse students for their inclusion within the educative system. Intercultural and Plurilingual Education is a key feature in the development of inclusion strategies aimed at ethnically diverse students. This article includes research based on a case study carried out in a high school located in the North-West of Spain. It is aimed at: 1. Engaging ethnically diverse students to become part of the mainstream classroom through the inclusion of their culture; 2. Improving their language skills and competencies in the learning of a foreign language; 3. Raising the attendance at schools of ethnically diverse students. To achieve these targets the Culturally Responsive Teaching (CRT) Methodology has been implemented. CRT is considered essential to answer the educative needs that arise due to the coexistence between ethnic minorities and conventional communities. After gathering and analyzing data, results show that: ethnically diverse students’ motivation has been increased; it also expanded their social skills among peers; they gained more visibility; and finally, both diverse and non-diverse learners improved their proficiency in the English language. The discussion section states that the use of CRT Methodology traditionally used with Afro-American and Native-American students is also relevant for the Roma-Gypsy students that took part in this study.

A Novel Approach to the Automatic Designation of Predefined Census Enumeration Areas and Population Sampling Frames: A Case Study in Somalia

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarchil Qader ◽  
Veronique Lefebvre ◽  
Amy Ninneman ◽  
Kristen Himelein ◽  
Utz Pape ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Population Sampling ◽  
Census Enumeration ◽  
Novel Approach

Measuring Acceptability and Engagement of the Keep It Up! Internet-based HIV Prevention Randomized Controlled Trial for Young Men who have Sex with Men (Preprint)

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Krystal Madkins ◽  
David Moskowitz ◽  
Kevin Moran ◽  
Trey Dellucci ◽  
Brian Mustanski
Keyword(s):  
High School ◽  
Randomized Controlled Trial ◽  
Hiv Prevention ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
P Values ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Intervention Acceptability ◽  
Intervention Content ◽  
Sex With Men

BACKGROUND Since 2010, HIV diagnoses among men who have sex with men (MSM) have remained stably high while decreasing for heterosexual men and women. The burden of infection has disproportionately impacted younger MSM of color relative to other populations. Despite the increased risk, there are few HIV prevention programs targeted to diverse and young MSM. The Keep It Up! (KIU!) online intervention was created to address the HIV prevention needs of this population. OBJECTIVE The objective of this study was to examine the acceptability and engagement of KIU!, and explore any differences by demographics, within the context of a randomized controlled trial (RCT). METHODS Between May 2013 and December 2015, 445 participants were randomized into the intervention arm of the KIU! RCT. Data were taken from the baseline assessment, KIU! 2.0 intervention modules, and immediate post-test assessments of intervention acceptability and engagement. Outcomes of interests were qualitative and quantitative measures of intervention acceptability and engagement as well as process measures (i.e., star ratings of intervention content and paradata on time spent in intervention). RESULTS Participants were an average of 24 years old, 62.9% (280/445) identified as a racial or ethnic minority, 86.5% (385/445) identified as gay, and 84.3% (375/445) reported having at least some college education. Most participants rated the intervention content highly (4 out of 5 stars) and gave the intervention an average acceptability score of 3.5 out of 4. Compared to White participants, Black participants found the intervention more useful (p = .03), engaging (p < .001), and acceptable (p = .001); Latino participants found the intervention more engaging (p = .03); and “other” non-White participants found the intervention more engaging (p = .008) and acceptable (p = .02). Participants with high school or less education found the intervention more useful, engaging, and acceptable, and were more likely to give intervention content a five star rating than college educated participants (p-values = .047, <.001, .002, .01 respectively) or those with graduate degrees (p-values = .04, .001, < .001, .004 respectively). White participants showed the most variation between education levels and reporting positive attitudes towards the intervention. Among Black participants, graduate degree-earning participants spent significantly more time on the intervention than high-school or less educated participants (p = .02). CONCLUSIONS Overall, participants gave the intervention high acceptability and engagement ratings; but it was most acceptable and engaging to participants who were younger, identified as racial and ethnic minorities, had less education, and lived in the South. As these are all groups with greater burden of HIV infection, the KIU! intervention is promising as a primary HIV prevention tool. Future implementations of KIU! are needed to assess its acceptability outside of the highly controlled environment of an RCT. CLINICALTRIAL RCT# NCT01836445

scholarly journals Conducting Web-Based Focus Groups With Adolescents and Young Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 20 ◽  
pp. 160940692199687
Author(s):  
Courtney A. Brown ◽  
Anna C. Revette ◽  
Sarah D. de Ferranti ◽  
Holly B. Fontenot ◽  
Holly C. Gooding
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Research ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Focus Groups ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Adolescents And Young Adults ◽  
Web Based ◽  
Disease Awareness ◽  
Sex With Men ◽  
Technical Platform

This methodologic paper aims to update researchers working with adolescents and young adults on the potentials and pitfalls associated with web-based qualitative research. We present a case study of synchronous web-based focus groups with 35 adolescents and young women ages 15–24 years old recruited from a clinical sample for a mixed methods study of heart disease awareness. We contrast this with two other studies, one using asynchronous web-based focus groups with 30 transgender youth ages 13 to 24 years old and another using synchronous web-based focus groups with 48 young men who have sex with men ages 18 to 26 years old, both recruited via social media. We describe general and logistical considerations, technical platform considerations, and ethical, regulatory, and research considerations associated with web-based qualitative research. In an era of technology ubiquity and dependence, researchers should consider web-based focus groups a potential qualitative research tool, especially when working with youth.

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