Randolph Submits NIH R21 Application

Kudos to Schenita Randolph and her entire team for the submission of their NIH R21 application entitled: “A Conceptual Framework for Sociocultural Contextual Influences on Young Black Males’ Sexual Behavior to inform the development of a culturally appropriate father-son intervention designed to reduce sexual health disparities among Black male youth 18-24 living in the United States South.” This proposal requests funding for a two-year period with a start date of July 1, 2018.

Preliminary results in a qualitative study we conducted with Black fathers (n=29) reveal that fathers desire to talk with their sons about sex, but lack this experience with their own fathers (Randolph, 2017). This is troubling given the increasing available evidence that fathers play an important role in their adolescent sons’ sexual health [13-15]. There is a critical need to understand the relationship fathers had with their own fathers and how this relationship influences their son’s proximal determinants of sexual health, and ultimately their son’s health. Future interventions that help fathers who did not have this experience with their fathers could influence multiple generations moving forward thus changing the trajectory of father-son sexual health communication. Quality father-son sexual health communication influences sexual health for youth, however, a deeper understanding of the nuances of communication, specifically for Black fathers and sons is warranted (Randolph, 2017). Sorely needed in adolescent sexual health are empirically informed interventions that incorporate these sociocultural contextual influences of young Black males.

Our long term goal is to develop an evidence-based father-son intervention designed to improve sexual health of Black male youth age18-24 in the South. The proposed R21 is the first step in the development of the intervention. Specifically, the R21 will provide formative qualitative and quantitative data for a future R34 designed to develop and pilot test the father-son intervention. Our goal is aptly aligned with the National Institute for Nursing’s mission and call (PA-16-432) to “understand personal, sociodemographic and community factors influencing health promoting behaviors of minority males across the lifecycle.” We will accomplish this proposed research in the following specific aims:

Aim 1: To evaluate father-son dyads perspectives of both contextual and paternal influences of sexual health and how these influence son's proximal determinants and sexual risk behavior and prevention uptake through the use of 20 in-depth one-on-one interviews with dyads (fathers and sons separately; 40 interviews)

Aim 2: To explore the potential feasibility and acceptability of a future father-son intervention with Black male youth 18-24 years and their fathers (preferences regarding intervention, content, delivery, engagement and retention in program) through the use of 8 focus groups (4 with sons, 4 with fathers)

Aim 3: To explore the influence of son’s perceptions of paternal and contextual factors on proximal determinants of sexual health by collecting cross-sectional survey data from 150 Black male youth.