Research Summaries

McCoy -
HIV Risk Reduction in Migrant Workers

The study targets Alcohol and Other Drug-(AOD) using Migrant Workers (MWs) and is a 5-year randomized community trial comparing a cognitive behavioral HIV prevention intervention with a Health Promotion (HPC) condition. The HIV intervention expands on current "effective" behavioral interventions to include contextual components (e.g., peer counseling and motivational enhancement) that are likely to produce long term maintenance of HIV risk reduction effects. If successful, this research on Hispanic and African American MWs will delineate important HTV intervention strategies that can be practically implemented to improve maintenance of HIV risk behaviors.

Palmer -
Colorectal Cancer Screening Patient Navigation for African Americans

The primary purpose of this two-year study is to develop and test the feasibility of a peer-based navigator intervention for increasing colorectal cancer screening rates for African Americans referred to a no-cost screening program. The first aim of this study is to identify determinants of colorectal cancer screening for participants referred to this no-cost screening program. Once identified, the determinants will be used to develop and pilot test a peer-based navigator intervention to increase screening rates. By the completion of this project, we will have tested the feasibility of a peer-based navigator intervention and collected data to plan a larger intervention trial to increase colorectal cancer screening among African Americans.

Healthy Aging Initiative evaluation

Dr. Richard Palmer and colleagues at the Robert Stempel School of Public Health are conducting an evaluation of the Health Foundation of South Florida’s five-year Healthy Aging Initiative. The initiative will fund evidence-based health promotion and prevention programs for older adults in Miami-Dade, Broward, and Monroe Counties. Data collected by Dr. Palmer and colleagues will be used to assure that implemented programs are consistent with tested prototypes, that the targeted older population is, in fact, participating in one or more of the programs, and that agencies in the South Florida community increase their capacity to understand, deliver, and fund high-quality health promotion initiatives. The evaluation will also measure changes in attitudes in the community toward issues surrounding healthy aging in South Florida.