Previous Research Projects

Minnesota Outreach Programs
The following programs, funded through the MN Department of Health and other agencies, were developed for persons or communities at high risk for HIV/STI.

• All Gender Health (Principal Investigator: Walter Bockting, PhD) For transgender persons and their partners.
• Beyond (Principal Investigator: Walter Bockting, PhD) For women who have sex with or are attracted to women and men. Participants learned about sex, identity, and sexuality. Sponsors: Chrysalis Center for Women, Planned Parenthood of Minnesota and South Dakota, and University Family Physicians-North Memorial Clinic.
• Man-to-Man: Sexual Health Seminars (Principal Investigator: Simon Rosser, PhD, MPH) For men who have sex with, or are attracted to, other men. Over 500 participants attended these seminars, designed to assist men to explore and enhance their sexual health, examining such issues as talking about sex, sexual attitudes, attractions, and behaviors, same sex relationships, intimacy, spirituality, aging, and living with HIV.
• Our Sexual Health For gay, bisexual, lesbian, and transgender persons, their families, and friends.
• SHARE For African American women, men, and couples.
• Women's Initiative for Sexual Health (WISH) (Principal Investigator: Bean Robinson, PhD) For women at highest risk for HIV. Free two-day seminar was among the first in the nation to present sexual health education to women from a woman's perspective. Provided a place for women to explore and celebrate healthy sexuality and relationships; topics were body image, positive sexuality, anatomy and physiology, barriers to health sexuality, African American culture and sexuality, touch masturbation, sexual health care and fantasy, sexuality and spirituality.

Research Programs Conducted through HIV/STI Intervention and Prevention Studies

• Rapid HIV Testing Funded by CDC. Studied whether rapid result technology positively affects the number of high-risk individuals who receive their test outcomes.
• Internet Sex Among Latino Men Funded by NIH. Examined how sexual liaisons mediated via the Internet impact the risk behavior in this minority population.
• Gender, HIV Risk, and Transgender Persons Funded by NIH. Examined how gender identity and roles impact HIV risk behavior. First national study of transgender persons' risk for HIV.
• Cara a Cara Funded by the Pan American Health Organization/World Health Organization and the United States Mexico Border Health Association. A five-day course provided HIV prevention workers information on prevention approaches, cultural sensitivity, counseling and assessment skills, and scientific data regarding prevention.
• Evaluation of Women's Initiative for Sexual Health (WISH). (Principal Investigator: Bean Robinson, PhD) 320 African-American women evaluated the WISH program.
• The Minnesota 500 Men's Study (Principal Investigator: Simon Rosser, PhD, MPH) Funded by CDC. Evaluated the Man-to-Man program and a video film targeting gay men. Focused on safer sex patterns and internalized homophobia.
• Transgender HIV Prevention (Principal Investigator: Walter Bockting, PhD) Funded by AmFAR. Workshop addressed transgender specific HIV risk factors, safer sex, and sexual negotiation in a transgender sensitive and affirmative context.
• HIV Mental Health Counseling (Principal Investigator: Simon Rosser, PhD, MPH) Funded by Hennepin County Community Health and the Minnesota Department of Health, AIDS/STD Prevention Services Section under Ryan White CARE Act. Free mental health counseling to persons living with HIV/AIDS, their spouses, and families.