Culturally Anchoring an Intervention for Gender-Based Violence.

Haitians continue to rebuild following the devastating earthquake in 2010, as many also strive to recover and heal from associated horrific events. Immediately following the earthquake, domestic and international agencies reported dramatic increases in violence against women and girls in this small Caribbean nation that shares the island of Hispaniola with the Dominican Republic. In this article we highlight one segment of a situational analysis used as groundwork for developing an intervention to address gender-based violence (GBV). We sought to rapidly identify existing and needed resources and services for internally displaced women and girls in Haiti and to facilitate an immediate and sustainable response. During an eight-day period, we convened focus groups in Port au Prince. Displaced women and older girls, directors of nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), healthcare providers and administrators, and community youth leaders participated in the focus groups. Findings from these focus groups illuminate the multiple influences of GBV on displaced women and girls. Gaps, strengths, and limitations of existing resources, capacities, systems, and services for internally displaced Haitian women and girls were identified. In addition, factors that could potentially support or hinder effective implementation of preventive and response interventions were revealed. Our findings provided a foundation and structure for developing a culturally- specific educational and safety plan which was used in Haiti following the earthquake and continues to have relevance for use, today.

Developing a clinical research associate training program at Dillard University: the impact of collaboration.

In 2010 Dillard University and Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center in New Orleans collaborated to secure a five year-grant from the National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities of the National Institutes of Health to establish a Minority Health and Health Disparities Research Center (MHHDRC) located on the campus of Dillard University. The MHHDRC is the first Federally funded Center of Excellence in the state of Louisiana. Three cores of the Center operate to achieve its mission. One core includes a clinical research associate (CRA) training program. The major goal of the program is to increase the number of minority CRAs in the state of Louisiana, especially in New Orleans and, ultimately promote greater participation and retention of minorities in clinical trials research. This article discusses the initiation of the CRA training program, its planning, community outreach, implementation, integration of multiple resources and role of collaboration in the development of the MHHDRC including accomplishments, challenges and future plans.