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$2.5 Million Grant Awarded to Research HIV/STD Risk among Young Expectant Fathers
Yale University researchers have been awarded a $2.5 million grant over the next five years from the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) to study the role men play in the health and sexual decisions of adolescent couples transitioning to parenthood. The study, entitled “HIV/STD Risk Among Young Expectant Fathers: Relationship Attachment & Transition,” will examine the HIV/sexually transmitted disease risk behavior, relationship quality, and parenting functioning for young expectant fathers and their pregnant adolescent partners from pregnancy to parenthood. The project research team will be led by Trace Kershaw, Ph.D., who is the Principal Investigator. “Heterosexual men recently have been categorized as the forgotten group in HIV/STD prevention and maternal child health research.” says Kershaw, assistant professor of epidemiology in the division of Chronic Disease Epidemiology (CDE) and the Social and Behavioral Science Program (SBS) at the Yale School of Public Health. “Women have received much of the attention in prevention research because young minority women are a growing risk group for HIV and bear most of the consequences related to unwanted pregnancy and child rearing. Therefore, many prevention studies have looked at risk behaviors for young women while few have included young men. Giving both men and women a voice in HIV/STD prevention will provide a complete picture about couples’ sexual health decision-making and will give insight into the intrapersonal, interpersonal, and social context of HIV-risk.” Kershaw says that expectant fathers are essential to the health and well-being of our community, having a significant impact on their own health as well as the health of the adolescent mother and child. The overall aim of this study is to enhance current and future interventions to prevent HIV and other STDs for both young men and women. “Integrating these prevention needs within programs aimed at improving prenatal and postnatal health and parental functioning may be beneficial in terms of lowering risk for HIV and other negative health and social outcomes such as negative child behavior and poverty,” explains Kershaw. Additionally, results will inform couples on relationship maintenance. Researchers will examine these issues in a multi-site longitudinal study of young expectant fathers and their pregnant adolescent partners to be conducted in health clinics in Connecticut. Data will be collected through Audio Computer Assisted Self-Interview (ACASI) and semi-annual STD testing. Co-researchers on this study include Linda Niccolai, Ph.D., assistant professor in CDE, Jeannette Ickovics, Ph.D., professor and head of SBS, Derrick Gordon, Ph.D., assistant clinical professor in the Yale University Department of Psychiatry. -Story by Marcie Foley |
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