Targeting High Risk Populations for Designing and Implementing Effective Interventions

  The many epidemiological, surveillance and risk factor studies carried out by the CDRC have been most valuable in targeting high-risk populations and designing effective culturally appropriate interventions to be delivered with dignity and sensitivity.  The CDRC has taken a leading role in developing the risk factor profiles as well as effectively targeting outreach strategies that are important components of an overall intervention strategy of risk reduction in the battle against HIV/AIDS.  The CDRC also has taken a lead in evaluating the effectiveness of interventions targeted to chronic drug users in a number of multi-site projects.  These efforts continue today with an even greater emphasis on targeting non-injector populations such as crack users, heroin sniffers and HIV+ populations.  These efforts are conducted in close collaboration with the clinical services of Jackson, the VA, and other health care delivery systems, especially the primary health care centers.