Connect to Protect (C2P): Building a Community-Based Infrastructure for HIV Prevention

Connect to Protect (C2P): Building a Community-Based Infrastructure for HIV Prevention

The proposed study seeks to continue the implementation of Connect to Protect® (C2P), a community mobilization intervention, which entails developing coalitions to plan for and bring about structural changes for purposes of reducing HIV incidence and prevalence among youth in targeted communities at five ATN sites.

The C2P community mobilization model entails: determining a geographic area and population of focus for the coalitions to prioritize their planning and action; developing coalitions that have a shared vision and mission; developing a strategic plan focused on structural changes to reduce risks associated with HIV; documenting processes; providing feedback as technical assistance to the coalitions; hosting regular working group meetings; and on-going capacity building. The National Coordinating Center (NCC), operating under the direction of the Protocol Chair, provides guidance, training, technical assistance and feedback to coalitions.

The evaluation of C2P includes both process evaluation (i.e., documentation of coalition actions and achievements of structural changes; and outcome evaluation to qualitatively assess (via Key Informant (KI) interviews) if and how C2P efforts, including completed structural changes, have influenced the risk environment within each community. In addition, local health surveillance data and HIV testing data will be used to evaluate changes in HIV testing patterns and HIV/Sexually Transmitted Infection (STI) morbidity among youth.

1. The intervention group = Community members who become engaged in the coalitions and in the broader mobilization effort; and
2. The evaluation group = Key Informants within each C2P community who either work or reside within the sectors or systems where structural changes have been accomplished and/or the coalition has focused their strategic planning efforts.