Projects

Funder: 2022 Catalytic Collaborative Research Initiative Funding Program, Office of the Vice Provost for Research, Temple University
PI: Sarah Bass, CO-Is: Heather Gardiner, Whitney Cabey

This project studies COVID-19 booster hesitancy among fully vaccinated Philadelphians to create a targeted communication campaign and assess changes in attitudes toward booster shots.

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health
MPIs: Sarah Bass and Marné Castillo

We are evaluating an eHealth tool called QUEEN-P (QUestions to Empower and ENgage with PrEP). This tool is designed to help young trans women aged 15-24 in Philadelphia make informed decisions about PrEP and improve adherence. Our goal is to support better decision-making and PrEP use through the information provided by QUEEN-P. 

Funder: U54
MPIs: Sarah Bass, Michael Hall, Tracey Revenson 

This study aims to test how well an eHealth decision support tool helps Latinx patients make informed choices about TGP at cancer centers in Philadelphia, New York City, and Camden, NJ.

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
PI: Wilson Vincent; Co-I: Sarah Bass; MPI: Nathan Hansen; Consultant: José Bauermeister  

This study is the first step in developing the Resilience-Based Intervention for Stress-Reduction and HIV-Related Efficacy (RISE). RISE is a trauma-informed, telehealth intervention based on Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. It aims to help newly diagnosed Black sexual minority men (gay, bisexual, or other men who have sex with men) living with HIV (+BSMM) manage traumatic stress and improve engagement in HIV care. This study addresses the first goal of a larger three-part research program, which seeks to develop and pilot-test RISE to support +BSMM in adjusting to life with HIV and staying connected to care.

Funder: National Institute of Drug Abuse
MPIs: Sarah Bass and Emily Dauria

This supplemental award for PA-Links builds on our current project by exploring how intersectional stigma, trauma, and resilience affect access to services. Our work highlights the importance of addressing these factors to improve service connections for women after jail, prison, or parole. We will conduct interviews and surveys with women involved in the criminal legal system and with service providers. The goal is to understand and overcome barriers to create effective, meaningful interventions.

MPIs: Sarah Bass, Emily Dauria
Funder: National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA)

The goal of this research is to pilot test PA-LINKS, a web-based intervention designed to promote PrEP and MOUD uptake among women leaving carceral settings (WLCS). This approach uses tailored messages developed through innovative research methods. In collaboration with Philadelphia FIGHT, a federally qualified health center, we will conduct a pilot randomized trial in Philadelphia to evaluate the intervention’s effectiveness, feasibility, and acceptability. 

Funder: National Institute of Mental Health 
Director of core: Sarah Bass; Co-director: Maria Schultheis 

This project is part of the Comprehensive NeuroHIV Center and focuses on three main goals: 

1. Conducting a Community Needs Assessment (CNA) to identify the needs of community partners and researchers, refining our research support services. 
2. Serving as a key resource for culturally competent research that addresses neuroHIV disparities, including forming a Community Partnership Advisory Board (CPAB). 
3. Supporting the sharing of research findings and promoting two-way communication with impacted communities. 

Funder: Gift of Life Transplant Foundation 
PI: Laura Siminoff; Co-Is: Heather Gardiner & Sarah Bass

This study will examine the experiences of Black families when asked to donate the organs of a loved one. Currently, nearly 30,000 Black Americans are on the organ transplant waiting list. Black people are overrepresented on the list and experience longer wait times due to higher rates of health conditions like hypertension and diabetes, as well as lower rates of organ donation among Black families. 

The goal of this study is to understand the factors that influence Black families’ decisions about organ donation. The research will involve in-depth interviews with Black FDMs who have considered organ donation for a loved one. The data gathered will help improve communication between organ procurement organizations (OPOs) and Black families, potentially making the donation process smoother and more effective. 

PI: Kristen Whitaker Co-I: Sarah Bass. 
Funder: American Association for Cancer Research (AACR)

This study will explore the factors that make Cascade Testing (CT) either easier or more difficult for patients. It will develop a survey using perceptual mapping techniques to understand how Black and White patients experience and perceive genetic risk communication and CT. The aim is to identify common barriers as well as race-specific challenges, which can then be addressed through targeted messaging to encourage greater participation in CT. 

PI: Christopher Wheldon; Co-I: Sarah Bass
Funder: National Institute of Minority Health and Health Disparities

This application focuses on developing a clinic-based intervention to reduce anal cancer disparities in sexual and gender minority (SGM) populations, particularly among men who have sex with men (MSM) and transgender women (TGW). These groups face higher rates of anal cancer, but the HPV vaccine, which can prevent it, is underused by MSM/TGW. We aim to promote the HPV vaccine within the PrEP care system to reach more underserved MSM/TGW and help prevent anal cancer. 

Our long-term goal is to create a toolkit for healthcare providers to guide shared decision-making about anal cancer prevention for MSM/TGW using PrEP. Currently, there is little research on how to effectively communicate anal cancer risks and prevention to diverse MSM/TGW populations. This study will focus on developing clear, relevant messages that meet the needs of MSM/TGW in PrEP care. 

MPIs: Sarah Bauerle Bass, Sophia Zamudio-Haas
Funder: NIH (National Institute of Mental Health)   

This project will leverage preliminary finding from our team’s previous NIMH funded R21 grant to leverage trans women social media influencers to deliver targeted PrEP messaging to trans women via instagram. We will design a community-led, social media based PrEP messaging training for trans women social media influencers, and design and pilot test the SIS (Sisters Influencing Sisters) intervention. This project is novel in its use of social media influencers to deliver PrEP messaging to and connect followers with PrEP resources. 

MPIs: Michael Hall, Sarah Bauerle Bass 
Funder: NIH (NCI; U54 project)   

This project will examine attitudes about genetic testing in diverse cancer patients (Latinx, White, Asian) and compare results to those in Black/African American cancer patients. Results will inform potential modification of an eHealth decision tool for patients on tumor genomic profile testing.

MPIs: Michael Hall, Sarah Bauerle Bass 
Funder: ECOG-ACRIN

This study will use a national sample of diverse cancer patients to understand the relationship between medical mistrust and understanding and use of genetic testing.

PI: Sarah Bauerle Bass; Co-Is: Heather Gardiner, Whitney Cabey  
Funder: Vice Provost for Research Catalytic Collaborative Funding Initiative

This study will examine vaccine hesitancy in Philadelphia and develop a targeted communication campaign to assess changes in attitudes about vaccination.

PI: Linda Fleisher. Co-I: Sarah Bauerle Bass 
Funder: Genentech

This study will assess the perceptions and decision making process related to clinical trials for both patients (attitudes towards clinical trials) and providers (the decision making process to offer clinical trials and how they communicate their decision making to patients) throughout the course of treatment providing a deeper understanding of the complex factors that impact shared decision making.  These findings will guide the adaptation of a multi-level mychoice^TM program for patients and providers and its implementation in oncology care.

PI: Beth Pfeiffer. Co-PI: Sarah Bauerle Bass 
Funder: National Institute on Disability, Independent Living, and Rehabilitation Research (NIDILRR)

This project will refine a previously piloted peer support intervention (SAFE) to help adolescents and young adults with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) to understand and use safety precautions for airborne diseases in the workplace including COVID-19 protection. The Risk Communication Lab will conduct formative evaluation through interviews and perceptual mapping and vector message modeling analyses to develop a message strategy that will be embedded into the training and then piloted in a randomized control trial.

PI: Courtney Caiola. Co-I: Sarah Bauerle Bass 
Funder: National Institute of Nursing Research

Women living with HIV in the South represent a stark disparity with respect to HIV viral suppression. This R21 is an exploratory sequential mixed-methods study that uses indepth interviews and perceptual mapping and vector message modeling analyses to develop targeted messages to enhance engagement in HIV care and ART adherence for women living with HIV in the south and then concept test these messages with key stakeholders.

PI: Marne Castillo. Co-PI: Sarah Bauerle Bass 
Funder: Penn Mental Health AIDS Research Center (PHMARC) 

Transwomen are disproportionately affected by HIV. Little is known about young transwomen’s experiences and potential barriers to pre-exposure prophylaxis, a once daily medication that can reduce risk of HIV acquisition. This project utilizes perceptual mapping and vector modeling to develop targeted messages and prototype communication materials for young transwomen about PrEP.  

CO-PIs: Mike Hall & Sarah Bauerle Bass. 
Funder: American Cancer Society (ACS)

“E-IMPART: Enhancing Informed Decision Making in Physicians and African Americans patients on TGP testing”. This study will develop and test interventions for both oncologists and African American cancer patients on tumor genetic profile testing.