Cognitive Processing Intervention for Trauma, HIV/STI Risks, and Substance Use Among Native Women

Nearly one of three American Indian (AI) women can expect to be raped in their lifetime putting them at great risk for revictimization and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The high prevalence of sexual and physical assault in Indian country has led Amnesty International to declare a state of emergency for AI women in the United States. This application is part of a community led effort by the Yakama Nation to turn this tide in their tribal community. Situated in the plateau region of Eastern Washington, the Yakama Nation is the largest tribe in Washington State (comprising over 10,000 members.) Since 2008, Investigators at the University of Washington have been collaborating with the Yakama Reservation Wellness Coalition who has mobilized activists and researchers through a community-based participatory research (CBPR) process to address the trauma and associated mental health concerns disproportionately affecting community women. This application, in response to "R34 PA-09-146: Pilot and Feasibility Studies in Preparation for Drug Abuse Prevention Trials" proposes a 3-year project to culturally adapt and pilot an empirically supported trauma-focused treatment, Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT) for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), substance use and HIV/STI sexual risk behavior among 56 AI women in a resource-limited rural area. Additionally, the investigators will assess the feasibility, acceptability and treatment fidelity of delivering this CPT via AI community health workers. Based on the investigators promising preliminary work, their multidisciplinary collaboration includes experienced AI and non-AI HIV, trauma, health service, and mental health academic researchers and an 8-member community research team of Yakama Nation tribal leaders, potential consumers, and health care providers with strong community connections. High rates of comorbidity between substance and alcohol use disorders (SAUD) and PTSD have been well established especially for women. Moreover, 25-40% of those seeking treatment for substance use meet criteria for PTSD. Additionally, PTSD is associated with increased HIV-risk sexual behavior (HRSB) in women. Prevailing theory suggests that alcohol and other drugs may be used to self-medicate or mitigate PTSD symptoms, which then reinforces more substance use leading to substance abuse-related consequences and problems, particularly HIV/STI exposure. Avoidance of trauma-related cues and affect including avoidance through substance use is thought to maintain PTSD and enhance risky sexual behavior. Therefore, treatment of PTSD should decrease substance use and risky sexual behavior. Many AI women never receive services for serious mental health problems resulting from traumatic events, violence exposure and maltreatment. AI women suffer higher lifetime rates of PTSD (20-23%), and are 2-3 times more likely than the general U.S. population to engage in excessive drinking which often co-occurs with risky sexual behaviors. These factors magnify risk for HIV and sexually transmitted infections (HIV/STI). This project is innovative in both its focus and its methods. It brings a culturally responsive intervention to an understudied and highly vulnerable population. It will culturally adapt and modify an evidence-based community health worker delivered intervention to address health risk behaviors (SAUD and HRSB). Its significance lies in its potential to advance science in the area of PTSD and SAUD treatment and HIV/STI prevention among AI women. Study data would be a significant contribution to tribal and rural communities and the mental health field. Finally, it is geared toward developing the research infrastructure and mental health treatment capacity serving AI women living in rural settings, a group at risk for an expanding AIDS and STI epidemic. If successful, findings from this study will inform a larger efficacy trial. AIM I. Adapt the evidence-based CPT intervention in full collaboration with tribal partners. This will be done in accordance with the CDC's Map of Adaptation Process and involved formative research with tribal leaders, potential consumers, providers, and health care administrators using qualitative methodology. AIM 2. Assess this intervention delivered by Native American community health workers for feasibility and acceptability in a resource-limited rural reservation setting. AIM 2. Conduct a two-group, single-site waitlist randomized controlled pilot trial of a 12-session, 6-week CPT intervention among 56 (6 pilot) sexually active and substance using AI women with PTSD or sub-threshold PTSD. Determine preliminary efficacy and estimate an effect size in terms of three primary outcomes: (a) PTSD symptomatology; (b) substance use; (c) high risk sexual behavior.