Past Projects

#MVMNT

In collaboration with the University of Georgia, the goal of #MVMNT, Men’s Voices on Mapping, Neighborhoods, and Technology, is to learn more about how social environments impact men’s health.

The purpose of the project is to focus on how locations and social networks influence the health of young men who have sex with men. Our goal is to understand how in-person and online social networks an locations individuals spend their time influence substance use and HIV risk behaviors. In 3-month the study will gather GPS collection, in-person interviews, and brief surveys sent through an app. The study will collect location updates, app use frequency and reported relationships to identify health outcomes. We want to use the findings of this study to inform in-the-moment risk reduction interventions throug h technology. The study will take place over four years in non-metropolitan towns in the Northeast and Southeast.

We hope to learn to improve health care and services for young men, by ultimately developing a real-time phone app intervention using the data collected in this research study.

If you are interested in enrolling as a participant, please see our Facebook page for more information!

Project RENEW

Project RENEW, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, is a new project being led by Professor Trace Kershaw and Professor Jessica Muilenburg from the University of Georgia. Project RENEW aims to look at ways cell phones can be used to monitor how social determinants of health influence health behaviors, and specifically how neighborhoods and places people go can influence their alcohol-related treatment programs. The findings from this research will then go into developing a novel intervention using mobile phone tracking and applications to help prevent relapse.

Impact of COVID-19 Related Isolation on Individuals in Treatment for Substance Use

Ashlin Ondrusek1, B.A., Emily Townsend2, B.S., Ash Warnock2, B.S., MPH, Sarah R. Lowe1, PhD, Jessica Muilienberg2, PhD, Trace Kershaw1, PhD

Affiliations:

1Yale School of Public Health

2University of Georgia College of Public Health

Background: For individuals in treatment for substance use, supportive social networks are essential to protect against a return to use. Objective: This study aimed to explore the impact of this swift and severe isolation brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, specifically for individuals in treatment for SUD by exploring the relationships amongst social connectedness and isolation to treatment accessibility, mental health, and substance use.

Methods: Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted from May 2020 to August 2020 with participants engaged in substance use treatment asking about the impact of the pandemic on social networks, substance use, access to treatment, and mental health. Interviews were coded and analyzed using grounded theory.

Results: Results centered around two main themes, 1) Access to support (e.g. formal and informal networks) and 2) individual outcomes regarding substance use and worsened mental health.

Conclusions: This research suggests that the COVID-19 pandemic has greatly disrupted access to resources for individuals in treatment for substance use, and calls for treatment centers and governing bodies to put more resources into telehealth and alternative treatment plans in the event of major disruptions, such as national disasters and global pandemics.

PARTNRS

Parenting and Relationship Transition and Risk Study

PARTNRS (Parenting and Relationship Transition and Risk Study) was concluded in March 2012 and sought to understand the sexual and reproductive health of young expectant fathers and their adolescent partners as they transitioned to parenthood. The study involved 296 couples from across the state of Connecticut. Each couple completed a series of interviews during and immediately following the period of pregnancy, answered questions related to their health and relationship, and were tested periodically for STDs. The data collected used for the development of a community based group intervention geared toward strengthening families and decreasing incidences of HIV and other STDs.

Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) Project #5R01MH075685-02

Partners in LIFE

Partners in LIFE (Love, Intimacy, and Family Education) is an integrated risk reduction intervention based on research data gathered from first time expectant parents over the course of their pregnancy and transition to parenthood. The goals of this intervention are to work with young parenting couples ages 14-25 years in order to:

minimize sexual risk
improve relationship functioning
improve parenting skills

This project takes a group-based approach to examining the multiple dimensions of relationship development and cohesion. Couples participating in the intervention utilize a 15 week curriculum led by 2 trained facilitators and explore a variety of topics related to communication, identifying and managing emotions, empathy, conflict resolution reducing sexual risk, and family planning.

The community partner for this project is Children’s Community Programs of Connecticut.

Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) ? Project #5R34MH094354-02

Multi-level Intervention for HIV-Positive MSM in India

This study seeks to develop, implement, and assess an innovative multi-level intervention for HIV-positive MSM in India to promote their health, safer sex, and disclosure of HIV status. There have been few HIV prevention interventions for HIV-positive MSM in India, one of the most high-risk and vulnerable populations in the world.

Currently, the incidence of HIV cases among men who have sex with men (MSM) is increasing. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that 21% of the HIV population is unaware of their HIV status. Those unaware of their HIV status are central to the spread of HIV and are difficult to engage in care. This project will develop and provide preliminary feasibility data for a peer-delivered social technology intervention using a variety of technologies (e.g. Facebook, Twitter, text messaging) to increase HIV testing and engage potential unaware MSM in medical care and related services.

The community partner for this project is The CIRCLE CARE Center in Norwalk, CT.

Funded by the Community Research Partnership Program of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA)

CREW

Cell phone Research to Enhance Well-being

CREW (Cell phone Research to Enhance Well-being) sought to understand how the use of cell phone technology influences existing social networks and impacts decision making among men ages 18-25 years. The study consisted of 120 participants and takes place over six months. During study enrollment participants completed three computer based interviews and allow data related to their cell phone activity and GPS locations to be collected.

The partner for this project is Mobile Spy.

Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

Project #1R21DA031146-01A1

Father’s Social Networks: Fathers can play an important role in child development and family functioning. This study sought to understand how a fathers’ friends may influence his health behaviors and involvement with his children. We conducted an egocentric social network study, interviewing young fathers about their social networks to assess how the social norms, communication, and influence of network members influence their sexual risk and their parenting behavior and involvement.

The community partner for this project was Children’s Community Programs of Connecticut (CCPC).

Funded by the Community Research Partnership Program of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA).