MPH-Global Health Practicum

Institution: University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP), Programa Compañeros

Location: El Paso, Texas, USA & Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, MX (Border Region)

Preceptor: Julia Lechuga, PhD

Faculty Advisor: Denis Curtis, DDS, MPH, DHS

Project Title: HIV Risk Reduction and Treatment Interventions for People who Inject Drugs on the US-Mexico Border Region

Summary:

The practicum project took place at the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) and Programa Compañeros, located in Ciudad Juarez, Mexico, as part of an initiative called Project Encuentro and Decide (currently in the preparatory phase), funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. The practicum focused on HIV risk reduction intervention methods implemented in the U.S.-Mexico border region. Project Encuentro targeted people who use drugs and individuals at risk of acquiring HIV by offering rapid testing.

I assisted the primary investigator (PI) with the introduction section of the study manuscript to be published, as well as with data analysis to better understand the population that benefited from the project. The analysis will be used to develop training materials for onboarding new staff at Project Decide once it officially launches. The targeted health promotion behaviors included participation in HIV testing and reduction in sexual and drug use risk behaviors.

As part of my practicum deliverables, I created a community resource guide for Ciudad Juarez, listing organizations that offer relevant services to interested individuals. Additionally, I supported Project Decide in translating the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) guidelines manual and a fact sheet summarizing a Latin American study on medication willingness. This section will be included in the training intervention manual to help staff provide informed PrEP referrals to the local Outpatient Center for the Prevention and Care of AIDS and Sexually Transmitted Infections (CAPASITS).

Project Activities:

The practicum project consisted of the following key activities: (1) engaging in qualitative and quantitative data analysis to better understand the participants enrolled in the program; (2) contributing to the development of dissemination materials and supporting project staff in drafting the manuscript's introduction section, with a focus on the regional context; and (3) assisting with the translation of the CDC’s PrEP guidelines into Spanish to be included in a staff training intervention manual, along with the creation of a community resource guide, a companion referral survey, and a fact sheet summarizing the Latin America ImPrEP study. The products developed will support the binational projects by informing new interventionists hired to implement clinical trials under Project Decide at Programa Compañeros and UTEP, aimed at evaluating the impact of public health interventions and behavioral health models.

Applied Practicum Experience 1: Manuscript Introduction and Result Section Assistance

& Applied Practicum Experience 2: PowerPoint Briefing Study Findings

CEPH Competencies:

C-3. As appropriate, analyze quantitative and qualitative data using biostatistics, informatics, computer-based programming, and software.

- Assisted the PI in interpreting collected survey results with the implemented study in the border region.

C-2. Select quantitative and qualitative data collection methods appropriate for a given public health context.

- Assisted the PI with developing a survey consisting of quantitative and qualitative methods with the target population, people who use drugs at risk of acquiring HIV.

GH 3: Determine disease trends and the impact of specific country demographics and other major factors on influencing patterns of morbidity, mortality, and disability in a defined population.

- While performing the literature review and analyzing survey results, we determined that the population at risk (Men in their 40s with a 3rd grade education) for acquiring HIV in the US-Mexico border region was the most vulnerable to engaging in risky behaviors, which increases their HIV likelihood.

GH 5: Evaluate barriers to population health services in low and middle-income countries and the capacity of public health systems for disease surveillance and monitoring.

- When doing a needs assessment literature review, little information was available on our target area population. The need for an improved public health system with access to public information has to be established to help implement health programs in such vulnerable communities, as data in Cd. Juarez is not accessible or available in comparison to El Paso, TX.

Applied Practicum Experience 3: Intervention Manual and Training Material