Context and Correlates of Health Behaviors in South India

This five-year study is being conducted in collaboration with three Indian NGOs: YRGCARE in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, SHADOWS in Chirala, Andhra Pradesh, and Shelter in Calicut, Kerala. The overall goal is to obtain a better understanding of HIV risk-taking in the context of alcohol consumption among male migrant workers and female sex workers in South India through formative work as well as qualitative and qualitative interviews. A secondary goal of this project is to develop and pilot-test a risk reduction intervention among these two groups. Specific objectives include:

• Conduct qualitative interviews with our target populations to examine patterns of alcohol consumption and sexual risk-taking, and the relationship between these behaviors and individual, interpersonal and contextual factors.
• Develop and administer a quantitative survey to measure the prevalence and patterns of sexual risk-taking and alcohol consumption, as well as related individual interpersonal and contextual factors in the two target populations.
• Develop, implement and pilot test a risk-reduction intervention to reduce HIV risk-taking in the context of alcohol use among South Indian female sex workers and male migrant workers.
• Develop research capacity in two NGOs serving vulnerable populations in these areas, using a previously successful scale-up model in collaboration with YRGCARE, Chennai.