Technology as an alternative platform for delivering HIV risk prevention for African American youth: The Pathways for African American Success (PAAS) Program

Velma McBride Murry, Ph.D.
Vanderbilt University

ABSTRACT:
While prevention scientists have increasingly recognized the potential benefits of interactive computer technology as an avenue for delivering preventive interventions to youth, there is a paucity of HIV preventive interventions that have utilized computer- based approaches. This current study was designed to test the efficacy of PAAS as an alternative delivery platform to speed up the process for moving effective HIV programs from science to practice.  PAAS, a second-generation program of the Strong African American Families (SAAF) program, is a six-week session family skill-training program designed to deter early sexual onset, risky sexual practices, and the initiation and escalation of drugs/alcohol among rural African American youths.  A total of 412 African American parents and their 6th grader from five rural counties were randomly assigned to the following: traditional didactic in-person delivery, CD-ROM, or minimal control conditions.  During the presentation a brief overview of the process of transporting and translating SAAF to PAAS will be provided, followed analyses designed to determine if technology-version of PAAS is “good enough” to establish clinically significant change in intervention targets. Implications for future research and ways to advance the field of prevention science, in addressing the need for more culturally tailored programs for use with racial/ethnic families will be discussed.