Year of Award

2010

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Type

Master of Science (MS)

Other Degree Name/Area of Focus

Health Promotion

Department or School/College

Department of Health and Human Performance

Committee Chair

Annie Sondag

Commitee Members

Laura Dybdal, Jean Carter

Keywords

Drug use, HCV, HIV, Safer Sex, Theory of Planned Behavior

Abstract

Speaker, Elizabeth, M.S., December 2010 Health and Human Performances Evaluation of an HIV and HCV Prevention Intervention: Taking it to Treatment Court Chairperson: Annie Sondag The purpose of this study was to evaluate the HIV/HCV prevention intervention, Taking it to Treatment Court (TITTC), which is part of the greater Yellowstone County Family Drug Treatment Court (YCFDTC) program. The findings from this study will be used by the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services, The Yellowstone County Family Drug Treatment Court, and the Montana HIV Prevention Community Planning Group to determine the effectiveness of TITTC and make changes as necessary. To evaluate TITTC this study utilized quantitative and qualitative research methods. Quantitative data were collected through a Theory of Planned Behavior survey and an HIV and HCV knowledge questionnaire. Participants of TITTC were given the survey instrument pre intervention, two weeks post intervention, and again at a three month follow up. Urinalysis and arrest report data were also collected from YCFDTC and compared to self report data. Qualitative data were collected through two focus groups with past participants of TITTC. Results of this study indicate that the TITTC intervention was effective in increasing participants’ HCV knowledge; increasing overall intentions to abstain from drug use, and improving attitudes towards abstaining from drug use. The intervention also was successful at encouraging participants to test for HCV. The intervention did not result in significant gains in HIV knowledge nor in intentions to practice safer sex. In addition, results also revealed a lack of congruence between self reported drug use and the urinalysis and arrest data. Emergent themes from the focus group data validated findings from the survey data. Overall, TITTC appears to have some positive effects on participants’ intentions to engage in HIV and HCV risk reduction behaviors. Evaluators recommend that the program be lengthened and that facilitators spend more time on the areas where fewer gains were seen. Given the preliminary success of the program, expanding TITTC to other drug courts throughout the state of Montana is advised.

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© Copyright 2010 Elizabeth Christine Speaker