CHPPR Research Projects
Current research projects are listed below. Click a project title to go its detail page.
The Adolescent Vaccination Program (AVP) is a multicomponent HPV vaccination program that targets healthcare providers and parents of pediatric patients ages 11-17. 
An initiative to increase initiation and completion of HPV vaccination among male and female patients at TCP, a network of over 50 clinics in the greater Houston area. 
All for Them (AFT) is a multilevel multicomponent program that comprises three synergistic evidence-based strategies to effectively increase HPV vaccine initiation and completion among youth living in medically underserved areas. 
A partnership with MD Anderson Cancer Center to evaluate a program to increase colorectal cancer screening among CPRIT priority populations in central, south, and southeast Texas. 
Be Legendary - Developing a Multi-Component Teen Pregnancy Prevention Intervention for Male Teens
A theoretically-based and youth-centered approach to reduce unplanned teen birth among male adolescents
Brief Interventions to Create Smoke-Free Home Policies in Low-Income Households
The Smoke-Free Homes Program: Some Things are Better Outside (SFHs) is a minimally intensive program with three mailings and a single counseling telephone call, implemented in partnership with 2-1-1 social services information and referral (I&R) systems.
Care Coordination for Complex Cancer Survivors in an Integrated Safety-net System
The project involves implementing care coordination strategies shown to be effective for primary care conditions among complex cancer survivors at Parkland Health & Hospital System.
Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences, Community Engagement Component
This project focuses on the Community Engagement component of the Center for Clinical and Translational Sciences (CCTS)
Cervical Cancer-Free Texas (CCFTexas) was launched in April 2011. The initiative is led by researchers at The University of Texas School of Public Health who have experience developing and disseminating programs to prevent and control cervical, breast, and colorectal cancers. 
Child home safety in Hispanic and rural communities: A community health worker intervention
A culturally tailored, community health worker driven intervention to address child home safety hazards.
Cluster Randomized Trial of School-Based Program to Prevent Teen Dating Violence
The goal of this study (sub-contracted from the University of Texas Medical Branch) is to rigorously evaluate the middle school version of Fourth R, an effective high school dating violence prevention program.
Connecting Behavioral Science to COVID-19 Vaccine Demand Network: PRC COVID-19 Supplement Project
CBS-CVD conducted needs assessments to inform the development of tailored interventions to increase COVID-19 vaccine confidence and uptake among Black and Hispanic individuals in Harris and Cameron counties.
A smartphone-based program to promote healthy eating and physical activity among African American breast cancer survivors. 
Enhanced Integrated Treatment Program with Sexual Health in Recovery (EITP-SHIR)
Program evaluation of an evidence-based program, the Enhanced Integrated Treatment Program with Sexual Health in Recovery (EITP-SHIR) for gay/bi and transgender women who who use club drugs during risky sex and are at high risk for contracting or transmitting HIV
The purpose of this project is to evaluate the impact of Certified Peer Support (CPS) specialists to decrease recidivism, promote community tenure and encourage recovery of people in jail across each of the three project sites. 
Evaluation of Texas Association of Community Health Centers Initiative for Trauma Informed Care
This project is an evaluation of the Texas Association of Community Health Centers initiative to implement a trauma informed care approach in community health centers.
Everyone counts: Promoting Census participation along the U.S. Mexico Border
UTHealth joined forces with the U.S. Census Bureau, community health workers, and local organizations to launch a collaborative campaign to make sure historically undercounted populations in the El Paso region were included in the 2020 census.
An online program designed to improve diet and increase physical activity among breast cancer and colorectal cancer survivors. 
For Our Children is a theory-based program designed to educate parents about the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and motivate them to vaccinate their adolescent children. The program features bilingual (English/Spanish) resources for parents and an innovative interactive application for healthcare providers. 
Graduate Training Program in Breast Cancer Disparities at UTSPH
The goal of this program is to train a new cadre of innovative and highly skilled researchers and practitioners, preferably from populations that are disproportionately affected by breast cancer, committed to the elimination of breast cancer disparities.
The Greater Plains Collaborative (GPC) is a network of 13 leading medical centers in 8 central states committed to improving health outcomes by serving as a resource for health data, research expertise and patient engagement.
This study will assess dating violence perpetration and victimization, and modifiable risk and protective factors in adolescents from ethnically and socioeconomically diverse backgrounds. 
Harris SAVES (SARS-CoV-2 Prevalence Survey) was a research project developed to better understand the prevalence and transmission of COVID-19 in Harris County, Texas. 
This project connect residents in predominantly low income Hispanic communities to health resources. 
The Healthy Liver/Hígado Sano Study will be pilot testing a behavioral lifestyle intervention for Hispanic/Latino adults with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). 
This is an evaluation of the Healthy Zone Schools program (https://www.healthyzoneschool.com/), which targets childhood obesity by promoting physical activity and nutrition in schools. 
This project aims to study the effectiveness of HIV prevention interventions for criminal justice involved younger Black men who have sex with men in HIV prevention services by developing Agent-based Network Modeling methodology. 
Through Project HOMES, UTHealth collaborates with multiple community partners to open and evaluate 13 recovery residences throughout Texas for persons using medication assisted treatment (MAT) as part of their recovery plan. 
Houston Collaborative for Youth in Care Research/iCHAMPSS 2.0
UTHealth leads the research arm of the Houston Collaborative for Youth in Care. This work includes developing sexual health education for youth in foster care and adults that work with them, updating iCHAMPSS, and reviewing sex-ed programs for TEKS alignment.
Houston Experiences in Reproductive Health Survey (HER Survey)
Survey on reproductive health experiences of women in Harris County.
Houston Health Department Teen Dating and Youth Violence Prevention Strategy
The purpose of this project is to lead the evaluation of multifaceted primary prevention approach encompasses both individual- and community-level strategies to prevent youth and teen dating violence in high-risk communities.
In-depth interviews with polysubstance-using men who have sex with men in the Houston area. 
Health needs assessment of long-haul truckers and sex workers found at truck stops in the Houston area
HRSA Opioid Workforce Expansion Program (OWEP) ¬- Recovery Support Peer Specialists
This project will establish a network of workforce development hubs across Texas in order to enhance community-based experiential training for students preparing to become Recovery Support Peer Specialists (RSPS) in high need and high demand communities along the Texas-Mexico Border.
The goal of the Hurricane Harvey Oral History Project is to preserve the history of people's experiences and responses to Harvey, incorporating perspectives from multiple points of view. 
Needs assessment of men having sex with men in the State of Maharahstra, India. 
The goal of this program is to increase Colorectal Cancer Screening through evidence-based interventions in Federally Qualified Health Centers to ultimately reduce Colorectal Cancer and related health disparities among African Americans and Hispanics. 
CHPPR, in collaboration with the GCREC at the UTHealth SBMI, will assist the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) in carrying out the proposed activities for the project. 
A collaboration with three Texas 2-1-1 call centers to provide referrals, navigation, and/or financial assistance to callers needing breast cancer screening, Pap tests, colorectal cancer screening, HPV vaccination, or smoking cessation. 
IYG is a a theory-based healthy relationship and sexual health education curriculum.
A cluster-randomized trial of the Supervision of Peer Workforce project, which seeks to maximize the efficacy of both peer workers and their supervisors, thereby improving outcomes for individuals receiving mental health and substance use services. 
Me & You Too is a multi-level 6th grade sexual risk avoidance education curriculum designed to increase students’ healthy decision-making, goal-setting, and self-regulation skills to have healthy relationships and abstain from sexual activity and other risk behaviors. 
Me & You-Tech: A Socio-Ecological Solution to Teen Dating Violence for the Digital Age
The goal of this 3 year Fast-Track STTR is to develop and evaluate a multi-level (youth, parent, school) Internet-based teen dating violence (DV) prevention program, ‘Me & You-Tech’ (MYTech), for predominantly racial/ethnic-minority 6th--grade middle school students.
Me & You is among one of the first middle school programs to have been developed and shown to be effective in reducing dating violence perpetration for ethnic minority middle school youth and to include components from multiple levels of the socio-ecological model.
This project proposes advanced bi-directional data sharing, analytics, and modeling capacities to provide new scientific insights into interventions at the intersection of opioid use and justice contexts. 
The Management Information & Decision Support Epilepsy Tool Plus (MINDSET) is a web-based bilingual program designed to improve patient-provider communication to enhance self-management of patients with epilepsy (PWE) through tailored behavioral goal selection and action plan development. 
Minimizing novel Coronavirus exposure at small businesses with community health workers
The goal of this project is to mitigate the occurrence of COVID-19 infections in El Paso by minimizing the chance of novel coronavirus exposure at small businesses and micro enterprises.
Mobilizing Community Partnerships for Effective Sex Education in Middle School
Using community-based participatory research methods, researchers at UTHealth developed iCHAMPSS, an innovative, theory- and Web-based decision support system designed to facilitate the adoption, implementation, and maintenance of adolescent sexual health evidence-based programs in schools.
The goal of this R21 study is to adapt and assess the feasibility and impact an innovative online decision support system, Native iCHAMPS, to facilitate the adoption and implementation of culturally-relevant effective sexual health education interventions in AIAN communities. 
Native IYG is an online sexual health education curriculum for American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) youth ages 12-14.
Network Dynamics of Syphilis Co-infection within Biomedical Prevention
This project takes biological, behavioral, and epidemiological perspectives to investigate complex syphilis-HIV transmission dynamic processes among young Black men who have sex with men at the aim of creating effective syphilis eliminations interventions for most-at-risk population in the United States.
This project aims to guide and transform the rapidly evolving public health implementation of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) based prevention interventions as a critical step towards HIV elimination in Chicago and Houston.
(Subcontract through University of Chicago) The goal of this project is to guide and transform the rapidly evolving public health implementation of molecular HIV surveillance (MHS) based prevention interventions as a critical step towards HIV elimination in Chicago and Houston.
ORCA is a mixed methods study to examine barriers and opportunities for the early detection of oropharyngeal cancer among gay and bisexual men. 
The goal of this research study is to conduct focus groups and interviews to understand women’s personal experiences and perspectives on contraceptive use and access.
Needs assessment of methamphetamine-using men who have sex with men in the US.
A multi-level social network model to increase PrEP enrollment by Latino MSM selfidentified as gay, bisexual or straight in Miami.
Project Evaluation of Comprehensive Case Management for Sexual and Gender Minorities
This project aims to increase access to treatment for LGBTQ+ persons and People Living with HIV (PLWH) who have co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders.
The goal of Project Red Talon is to provide outreach, education, and technical assistance to disseminate Native It’s Your Game 2.0, a web-based HIV, STI, and pregnancy prevention curriculum for American Indian and Alaska Native youth ages 12-14 with both an online and jump drive delivery. 
Smoking Cessation Treatment Training Program and mHealth Decision Support Tool 
Proyecto Vales+Tú: A Program to Prevent Injury Disparities Among Latino Day Laborers
The aims of this study were to identify intervention priorities then to design and pilot a culturally responsive safety intervention program for Latino day laborers (LDL).
The UPR/MDACC Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research Community Outreach Program emphasizes educating communities about cancer prevention and control. By working directly with community partners, we can address cancer health disparities through the development of research, outreach, and educational activities. 
Addressing COVID-19 Testing Disparities in Vulnerable Populations Using a Community Just in Time Adaptive Intervention.
Randomized trial of a data-driven technical assistance system for drug prevention coalitions
This 5-year project will study the effectiveness of the Coalition Check-Up technical assistance system for supporting community coalition implementation of evidence-based drug prevention programs.
Healthy Fit (En Forma Saludable) is a health promotion program that leverages public health department infrastructure to address Hispanic immigrant health disparities. 
This project seeks to develop a measure of organizational readiness for delivering evidence- based interventions to improve colorectal cancer screening among community health center patients.
A network of over 20 youth substance use prevention coalitions across Mexico. The neighborhood based coalitions bring together diverse sectors of the community to bring about environmental and policy changes that prevent youth substance use. 
A breast and cervical cancer prevention program across 31 counties in the Texas Gulf Coast. This community health worker delivered program is designed for Latinas 18 years and older and includes a class and follow-up health coach navigation calls. 
Salud en Mis Manos Dissemination and Implementation Assistance (SEMM-DIA)
SEMM-DIA is an implementation support system for Salud en Mis Manos (SEMM), an evidence-based breast and cervical education and navigation program for Latinas. SEMM-DIA includes a set of implementation strategies to facilitate program implementation and maintenance.
Sexual and Gender Minority Cancer Curricular Advances for Research and Education (SGM Cancer CARE)
An up-to-date, useful, competency-based, modular workshop curriculum for providing participants with knowledge and skills to begin conducting high-quality and culturally appropriate research to improve Sexual and Gender Minority (SGM) care across the cancer care Continuum.
A Text-Message Based Smoking Intervention for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Smokers. 
Spanish MINDSET: Expanding and Validating a Self-Management Tool for the Hispanic Community
The goal of this project is to develop a Spanish version of an epilepsy self-management decision-support system and test the efficacy of both the Spanish and English versions on epilepsy self-management in Hispanic.
Supplement for HIV intervention models for criminal justice involved substance-using Black MSM
This supplement project proposes to examine institutional and social network contributors to opioid use, opioid use disorder, and opioid-related harms among younger Black men who have sex with men (YBMSM) with involvement in the criminal justice/corrections system.
This supplement project proposes to examine next generation responses to HIV related events in ending the epidemic contexts in Chicago and Houston.
This project is an innovative health promotion program that empowers youth to serve as both educators and healthy policy advocates. 
SGM health needs assessment 
The Partnership for Excellence in Cancer Research seeks to address and, ultimately, eliminate cancer health disparities through the development of clinical, research, outreach and educational activities that benefit both institutions. 
The goal of this project is to conduct a needs assessment to inform the development of curricula for youth, trainings for adults, and other possible individual- and systems-level strategies to reduce pregnancies among youth in care.
Unidas por Vida y Salud: Increasing Breast and Cervical Cancer Screening in El Paso
Unidas por Vida y Salud (United for Life and Health) uses evidence-based strategies to increase both uptake of breast and cervical cancer screening and repeat screening among low income, uninsured or under-insured Hispanic women in El Paso.
The objective of this formative research study is to assess mental associations, attitudes, and stereotypes towards attributes associated with contraception methods and race/ethnicity among Harris County providers who work in reproductive health settings. 
YMAP: Young Men’s Affiliation Project of HIV Risk and Prevention Venue
This project conducts a multisite longitudinal network study to investigate the HIV/STD risk and protective behaviors associated with social networks created by venue affiliations among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) ages 16-29 years.