OBJECTIVES/GOALS: To adapt and evaluate motivational interviewing (MI) as a tool for better understanding the beliefs that underlie vaccine hesitancy and effectively respond to these beliefs with emphasis on reaching underserved communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Our group reviewed the principals for motivational interviewing, rationale for vaccination, and likely beliefs underlying hesitancy and developed a guide for MI to address vaccine hesitancy. We recruited lay members of Black and Hispanic communities in Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD. 90-minute zoom facilitator training sessions included didactic material, questions and discussion, and role playing. We were not successful recruiting unvaccinated individuals to provide written consent to be followed re vaccination status. Facilitators indicated incorporating MI in their job-related and informal interactions. Surveys were developed to obtain feedback regarding beliefs underlying hesitancy, perceptions of MI effectiveness, and more recently (Oct 2022), evolving concerns regarding the pandemic. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: 67% of facilitators were Black, their average age was 39 years, and 67% had at least a high school education. All had received a COVID-19 vaccination. 82% endorsed utilizing MI in discussions receiving the COVID-19 vaccine. 46% of the facilitators endorsed that MI was moderately effective (46%) in clarifying objections and very effective (50%) in persuading friends, family, and co-workers to consider getting vaccinated. The most common elicited objections to the vaccine were side-effects (21%) and beliefs in government conspiracies (21%). In the second survey respondents indicated receiving another booster followed by getting their children vaccinated as the most common identified concerns. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE: MI can be adapted to address vaccine hesitancy in underserved minority groups and appears promising for identifying beliefs underlying hesitancy and possibly for increasing vaccination rates among these communities.

BACKGROUND:Living in poverty in the midst of caring for a child with sickle cell disease (SCD) presents with challenges that may be overwhelming for caregivers. Prior research has shown a relationship between poverty and poor outcomes in children; however, no study has investigated the mediating role of parenting stress on health-related quality of life (HRQOL) for such children.PROCEDURE:A total of 150 patients, ages 8-17 years and their parents, were enrolled and completed measures of parenting stress (caregivers) and HRQOL (patients). Caregivers also completed a demographic information questionnaire, which was used to determine poverty status. The Sobel test was used to analyze the association between poverty and HRQOL by way of parenting stress.RESULTS:The series of linear regression results show poverty was a significant predictor for decreased HRQOL (B = -7.01, p = .05) among pediatric patients with SCD. Moreover, the regression coefficient measuring the indirect effect of the model measuring the mediating role of parenting stress was statistically significant (B = -1.05, p = .05).CONCLUSION:The current study found an association between poverty status and HRQOL scores by way of parenting stress. Findings highlight the need for appropriate resource allocation to caregivers in addition to pediatric patients living with SCD.

Although recreational drug use is uncommon among older adults, recent research has shown that recreational drug use patterns and misuse of alcohol and prescription medications among baby boomers are increasing (Barry and Blow 2016;Caputo et al. 2012;Oslin 2004).As older adults generally have chronic conditions that lead to the use of prescription drugs and over-the-counter (OTC) medications, they are more at risk for dangerous alcohol-medication interactions (Breslow et al. 2015).Also, recent increases in rates of death and use of prescription opioids with suicidal intent among older adults have important implications as the USA undergoes rapid expansion of this population (West et al. 2015;Lippold et al. 2019).Despite their heightened vulnerability, few older adults are screened, and most older adults do not receive needed preventive services or early interventions even though evidence-based programs exist.Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT) is considered an evidence-based public health approach for addressing this gap but has rarely been used in the aging network of care (Blow and Barry 2000;Kuerbis et al. 2015).Thus, the focus of this brief report is to document the barriers and facilitators of implementing SBIRT in nonmedical organizations serving older adults and to assess whether older adults can be recruited and retained into this program.This study did not involve randomization of study participants to an experimental condition, and consequently, it is not possible to draw causal inferences about program impact.

This study evaluated factors associated with willingness to provide biospecimens for cancer genetic research among African American cancer survivors. A total of 200 African American adults diagnosed with breast, colon, and/or prostate cancers completed a self-administered survey. Family history information, beliefs about cancer research, cancer genetics and disparities knowledge, willingness to provide a biospecimen, and demographics were obtained. Chi-square, independent samples t tests, and logistic regression analyses were performed. Overall, 79% of this sample was willing to provide a biospecimen for cancer genetics research. Independent associations of willingness to provide a biospecimen existed among demographics (males (p = 0.041)), those who believed in the importance of genetic causes of cancer (p < 0.001), individuals who believe it is important to participate in genetics research (p < 0.001), and those who indicated they would participate in genetics research to help future generations (p = 0.026). Overall, 12.5-56% of participants demonstrated some level of genetics and cancer disparities. This study identified factors that may be incorporated into future research interventions to engage the African American cancer population in cancer genetics biobanking research.

BACKGROUND:Substance-related disorders are a growing problem in the United States. The patient-provider setting can serve as a crucial environment to detect and prevent at-risk substance use. Screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) is an integrated approach to deliver early intervention and treatment services for persons who have or are at risk for substance-related disorders. SBIRT training components can include online modules, in-person instruction, practical experience, and clinical skills assessment. This paper will evaluate the impact of multiple modes of training on acquisition of SBIRT skills as observed in a clinical skills assessment.METHODS:Residents were part of an SBIRT training program, from 2009 through 2013, consisting of lecture, role-play, online modules, patient encounters, and clinical skills assessment (CSA). Differences were assessed across satisfactory and unsatisfactory CSA performance.RESULTS:Seventy percent of the residents satisfactorily completed CSA. Demographics, type of components completed, and number of components completed were similar among residents who demonstrated satisfactory clinical skills compared with those who did not. All components of the training program were accepted equally across specialties and resident matriculation cohorts.CONCLUSION:The authors conclude that the components employed in SBIRT training do not have to be numerous or of a particular mode of training in order to see observable demonstration of SBIRT skills among medical residents. Thus, residency educators who have limited time or resources may utilize as few as 1 mode of training to effectually disseminate SBIRT skills among health care providers. As SBIRT continues to evolve as a promising tool to address at-risk substance-related disorders, it is critical to train medical residents and other health professionals.

Background and Objectives Numerous factors contribute to underrepresentation of African-Americans in medical research, including beliefs, historical events, structural, and health access obstacles. This study examined beliefs about medical research and the types of study methods preferred among potential African-American research participants.Methods A sample of 304 African-American participants from the Washington, DC Metropolitan area, completed a survey evaluating beliefs about medical research and preferred research study methods. Multiple Regression analyses were performed to examine how age, gender, and education may influence these beliefs and preferences for research study methods.Results The beliefs and preferences surveyed did not differ by age, gender, or educational attainment. There was an overwhelmingly favorable belief (90 %) that medical research was necessary and assists in finding a cure for a disease. Most respondents preferred participating in research related to issues with which they were familiar (e.g., diabetes, hypertension) or working with researchers of a similar ethnic background to themselves. Interestingly, though nonsignificant, those with higher levels of educational trended toward the belief that participation in research was risky.Conclusion The findings of this study indicate that certain beliefs about medical research participation and preferred study methodologies reported by African-Americans did not differ by age, gender, or level of education. This information about African-American's beliefs and preferences regarding medical research should lead to an awareness of potential gains in African-American participation through the development of culturally sensitive medical research studies and methodologies.

BACKGROUND The search to identify genes for the susceptibility to alcohol dependence (AD) is generating interest for genetic risk assessment. The purpose of this study is to examine the level of interest and concerns for genetic testing for susceptibility to AD. METHODS Three hundred four African American adults were recruited through public advertisement. All participants were administered the Genetic Psycho-Social Implication (GPSI) questionnaire, which surveyed their interests in hypothetical genetic testing for AD, as well as their perception of ethical and legal concerns. RESULTS Over 85% of participants were interested in susceptibility genetic testing; however, persons with higher education (p=0.002) and income (p=0.008) were less willing to receive testing. Perception of AD as a deadly disease (48.60%) and wanting to know for their children (47.90%) were the strongest reasons for interest in testing. Among those not interested in testing, the belief that they were currently acting to lower their risk was the most prevalent. The most widely expressed concern in the entire sample was the accuracy of testing (35.50%). Other notable concerns, such as issues with the method of testing, side effects of venipuncture, falsely reassuring results, and lack of guidelines on "what to do next" following test results, were significantly associated with willingness to receive testing. CONCLUSION Although an overwhelming majority of participants expressed an interest in genetic testing for AD, there is an understandable high level of methodological and ethical concerns. Such information should form the basis of policies to guide future genetic testing of AD.

OBJECTIVES:The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in attitudes, experiences, readiness, and confidence levels of medical residents to perform screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) and factors that moderate these changes.METHODS:A cohort of 121 medical residents received an educational intervention. Self-reported experience, readiness, attitude, and confidence toward SBIRT-related skills were measured at baseline and at follow-up. Analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of medical specialization.RESULTS:The intervention significantly increased experience (P<.001), attitude (P<.05), readiness (P<.001), and confidence (P<.001). Residents were more likely to report that their involvement influenced patients' substance use. However, experience applying SBIRT skills varied by country of birth, specialty, and baseline scores.CONCLUSIONS:This study suggested that SBIRT training was an effective educational tool that increased residents' sense of responsibility. However, application of skills might differ by specialization and other variables. Future studies are needed to explore and evaluate SBIRT knowledge obtained, within the context of cultural awareness and clinical skills.

The success of implementing a screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment (SBIRT) program within a medical residency program for sustainability is contingent upon a well-crafted training curriculum that incorporates substance abuse education and clinical practice skills. The goal of the Howard University (HU) SBIRT program is to train residents in providing culturally competent evidence-based screening, brief intervention and referral to treatment for patients who have a substance use disorder or who are at risk for developing the disorder. Utilizing the Office of Graduate Medical Education (GME) allows all residents to be trained in SBIRT techniques and receive continuing education in SBIRT and SBIRT-related topics through new resident orientation and the core lecture series. The utilization of Graduate Medical Education office has allowed a robust SBIRT training program to be implemented into medical residency education, contributing to the sustainability of SBIRT as a component of patient care.

BACKGROUND:Level of response (LR) to alcohol has been shown to be associated with the risk of developing alcohol dependence and can be measured using the self-rating of the effects of alcohol (SRE) questionnaire. This study examined the heritability of the SRE-measured LR and the relationship between LR and recent alcohol drinking history (RDH) in a predominantly African American nonalcohol-dependent population. METHODS:This was a sibling study of 101 social drinkers aged 21 to 35 years recruited from the Washington, DC metropolitan area. Participants were administered the SRE to assess LR and the timeline followback (TLFB) to assess RDH. The indices of SRE used were total SRE score (SRTT), early drinking SRE score (SRED), regular drinking SRE score (SRRD), and heavy drinking SRE score (SRHD). Pearson's product-moment correlation and linear regression were used to analyze SRE indices and RDH variables (quantity and drinks per drinking occasion). Heritability analysis was conducted using Sequential Oligogenic Linkage Analysis Routines (SOLAR) software with SRE indices as traits of interest. RESULTS:There was a significant relationship between SRE and RDH measures. Drinks per drinking day, maximum drinks, and quantity of drinks were significantly associated with SRTT, SRHD, and SRRD (all p < 0.05). SRTT showed significant heritability (h(2) = 0.67, p = 0.025), however, the SRE subindices (SRED, SRRD, SRHD) were not significantly heritable. Analysis performed in the subset consisting of only African Americans (n = 86) showed similar trends. CONCLUSIONS:LR, as measured by the SRE, is associated with RDH. The high level of heritability of the SRE total score suggests that genetics accounts for a significant proportion of the variation in the LR to alcohol in social drinkers.

Objectives. The purpose of this study was to elucidate changes in attitudes, experiences, readiness, and confidence levels of medical residents to perform screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment (SBIRT) and factors that moderate these changes. Methods. A cohort of 121 medical residents received an educational intervention. Self-reported experience, readiness, attitude, and confidence toward SBIRT-related skills were measured at baseline and at follow-up. Analyses were conducted to evaluate the effects of medical specialization. Results. The intervention significantly increased experience (P< .001), attitude (P < .05), readiness (P< .001), and confidence (P < .001). Residents were more likely to report that their involvement influenced patients’ substance use. However, experience applying SBIRT skills varied by country of birth, specialty, and baseline scores. Conclusions. This study suggested that SBIRT training was an effective educational tool that increased residents’ sense of responsibility. However, application of skills might differ by specialization and other variables. Future studies are needed to explore and evaluate SBIRT knowledge obtained, within the context of cultural awareness and clinical skills. (Am J Public Health. 2012; 102:e30‐e36. doi:10.2105/AJPH.2012.300802)

Objective: The sequence and progression of alcohol related life events were investigated in a sample of African Americans and compared with findings from a predominantly Caucasian sample.Methods: Alcohol dependent participants were recruited from treatment facilities. Participants completed the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism to assess the physical, psychological and social manifestations of alcoholism and related disorders.Results: The sequence and mean age of appearance of alcohol-related life events were similar for this sample of African-American men and women. While there were similarities in the progression of alcohol related life problems between the African American and the Caucasian samples, the frequency of symptom endorsement for most problems was significantly higher in the Caucasian sample.Conclusions: Identifying ethnic differences in the clinical course of alcohol dependence may be of importance in developing treatment plans and assist in the development of culturally sensitive intervention and prevention programs.

Objective: Ethnic and cultural differences in patterns of alcohal Use disorders must be understood in order address improvement in prevention of such disorders and accesstbility to health care services. The purpose of this study was to evaluate factors that influence the utilization of medical and Mental health services among alcohol-dependent and non-alcohol-dependent African Americans.Method: A cohort of 454 African Americans was evaluated. Alcohol-dependent, participants were recruited various inpatient treatment facilities in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area and through advertisement and word of mouth. Non-alcohol-dependent participants were recruited by advertisements. Each participant was administered the Semi-Structured Assessment for the Genetics of Alcoholism to bisess alcohol dependency and the Family History Assessment module to access family history of alcoholism. chi(2) Test and analysis of variance were used to analyze the data.Results: Alcohol dependence was more prevalent among, men, those with lower income, those with less education, and they utilized mental health counseling as opposed to medical-based therapy. Increased reports of medical conditions such as migraine (p < .001), loss of consciousness (p = .001), and sexually transmitted diseases (p < .001) were also associated with alcohol dependency. Other factors, including visits to inpatient treatment programs, were directly related to incidence of alcohol dependency regardless of gender status (p < .001).Conclusions: This study suggests an association exists among alcohol dependence, medical conditions, health care, and mental care utilization among African Americans. Future research may benefit from investigating if an association exists between alcohol use disorders and health care utilization for other ethnic groups.