Preventing HIV and substance use among survivors of sexual violence New NIH grant funds study by Santa Maria and Wood
Expanding post-sexual assault services to include HIV and substance use prevention for young people is the goal of a new, federally funded study led by Cizik School of Nursing of Nursing Dean Diane Santa Maria.
The study, “Improving HIV Prevention and Substance Use Post-Sexual Assault Services for Adolescents and Young Adults (R34DA063014),” will be funded by a three-year, $672,000 grant from the National Institute on Drug Abuse at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
One in four women and one in nine men experience sexual violence in their lifetimes, with 80% of first assaults occurring before age 25. Few adolescents and young adults seek treatment afterward, and those who do are usually seen by sexual assault nurse examiners (SANEs) and trained advocates. Santa Maria’s team will use the new R34 planning grant to assess the feasibility of integrating same-day HIV/STI prophylaxis and substance use prevention care into services provided by SANEs and victim advocates.
“Addressing HIV risks and substance misuse among young survivors of sexual violence and trafficking can prevent life-long health issues,” said Santa Maria, DrPH, MSN, ACRN, PHNA-BC, FSAHM, FAAN. “However, to our knowledge, no developmentally tailored interventions currently exist, and many youth do not access post-assault care.”
The project team includes co-principal investigator Leila Wood, PhD, MSSW, director of research and evaluation at the Texas Violence and Injury Prevention Research Center at McGovern Medical School at UTHealth Houston; and co-investigator Khara Breeden, DNP, RN, SANE-A, SANE-P, AFN-BC, CEO of the nonprofit Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners.
The study will involve interviews with small groups of adolescent and young adult sexual violence survivors, SANEs, advocates, and care providers for at-risk youth populations as well as analysis of existing data and input from a youth working group and community advisory board. A small-scale randomized control trial will then test the feasibility, acceptability, and initial efficacy of a pilot intervention compared to the usual standard of care.
“SANE nurses and advocates represent a first line of defense against the spread of HIV/STIs and substance use, yet we need to address the low uptake of care and access to prevention strategies such as HIV post-exposure prophylaxis and substance use treatment,” said Santa Maria.
Santa Maria serves on the national Office of AIDS Research Advisory Council at NIH, the Society for Adolescent Health and Medicine Board of Directors, and as director of the Developmental Core of the Texas Development Center for AIDS Research. She is the Jane and Robert Cizik Distinguished Chair and the Huffington Foundation Endowed Chair in Nursing Education Leadership.
