Moving from practice evaluation to intervention research: Group services to improve body image and nutrition among HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) Matthew Feldman, Ph.D., MSW Jenny Torino, M.S., R.D. Gay Men’s Health Crisis

Overview Overview of program evaluation at GMHC Creation, implementation, and evaluation of a group to help MSM living with HIV/AIDS adopt healthy nutritional habits by improving body image Process of moving from program evaluation to intervention research

Program Evaluation at GMHC Process Evaluation Are service goals being met? Is a service being used? Is the target population for a service being reached? Outcome Evaluation Are there improvements in the target behavior?

Program Evaluation Resources at GMHC Department of Health Informatics Program Services Evaluation Committee

Recent Evaluation Projects Process Evaluation Rapid Response System Care Coordination deliverables Outcome Evaluation Art therapy Body Image Group

Body image among people living with HIV/AIDS Three main spheres of influence on body image 1 Physical Psychological Social 1 Chapman, 1998

Physical aspects of body image Physical changes impact how we feel about our bodies Illness increases awareness of the body – Anti-contagion measures – Regular CD4 count and viral loads – Bodily changes due to side effects from medications

Psychological aspects of body image Anxiety Fear Frustration Uncertainty about the cause of bodily changes and declining health

Social aspects of body image Five dimensions of stigma 1 Concealability Course/predictability Peril Disruptiveness Origin 1 Jones et al., 1984

Body Image among men living with HIV/AIDS 31% of HIV-positive or at-risk men reported negative body image 1 Current perception of body image was less than prior to HIV infection and greater than their perception of how others view people with HIV. 2 1 Sharma et al., Martinez et al., 2005

Body Image among men living with HIV/AIDS Body image dissatisfaction is associated with depression, anxiety, stress, poor self-reported health, and a lack of social support among people living with HIV/AIDS (PLWHA). 1,2 HIV-positive men may engage in potentially harmful behaviors to attempt to control bodily changes, including taking steroids and unhealthy nutritional habits Fingeret et al., Sharma et al., Halkitis et al., Power et al., Reynolds et al., 2006

Body image among MSM MSM are more likely than heterosexual men to: Have an eating disorder diagnosis 1-3 Experience body image dissatisfaction 4-12 Be more preoccupied with their weight 13,14 Report lower ideal weights and desire to be thinner 6,15,16 1 Carlat et al., Siever, Feldman & Meyer, Silberstein et al., Herzog et al., Yager et al., Beren et al., Yelland & Tiggemann, Conner et al., Brand et al., Kaminski et al., Gettelman & Thompson, Lakkis et al., Brand et al., Russell & Keel, Herzog et al., 1991

Body image among MSM living with HIV/AIDS Themes 1 Weight loss as a visible sign of HIV/disease progression Avoiding social and sexual activities to pre-empt self consciousness Experience food as a chore History of body image dissatisfaction pre-dating HIV Pervasiveness of gay bodily ideals Feeling let down by the body Not knowing when/where weight loss will stop 1 Tate & George (2001)

Nutrition and HIV Malnutrition Metabolic Complications – High Cholesterol – High Blood Sugar – High Triglycerides

Body image dissatisfaction and health behaviors Dietary Restraint Overeating Misuse of vitamin, mineral and herbal supplements Over exercising Eating Disorders

Nutritional Interventions Nutrition counseling positively impacts weight, calorie intake, CD4 count and quality of life in PLWHA. 1-5 Nutrition and exercise interventions are successful in improving serum lipids and blood sugar levels Chlebowski et al., Rabeneck et al., Schweck et al., Tabi et al., Topping et al., Barrios et al., Thoni et al., Yarasheski et al., 2001

Interventions with mental health and nutritional elements Nutritional Components: – Diet and exercise education and/or counseling 1-3 Mental Health Components: – Support groups 1 – Stress management 1,2 – Behavior therapy 2,3 – Motivational Interviewing 3 1 Kaiser et al., Segal-Issacson et al., Reid & Courtney, 2007

Interventions with mental health and nutritional elements Interventions focusing on mental health and nutrition have been successful in improving: – Quality-of-life 1-2 – CD4 counts 1 – Dietary patterns 3 1 Kaiser et al., Reid & Courtney, Segal-Isaacson et al., 2006

Behavioral mediation of the relationship between psychosocial factors and disease progression Psychosocial Factors -Body Image Dissatisfaction Psychosocial Factors -Body Image Dissatisfaction Behavioral Mechanisms - Poor nutritional habits Behavioral Mechanisms - Poor nutritional habits HIV Disease Progression - CD4 decline - Viral Load Increase - AIDS diagnosis - AIDS defining illness HIV Disease Progression - CD4 decline - Viral Load Increase - AIDS diagnosis - AIDS defining illness Gore-Felton & Koopman, 2008

Study Aims To evaluate the effectiveness of a 14-week group Intervention in improving nutritional habits and body image among MSM living with HIV/AIDS.

Recruitment and data collection Recruited clients through open houses at GMHC’s dining room Group members completed measures at baseline and at a 3-month reassessment point

Intervention 14 weeks Weekly 90 minute sessions Transportation and healthy snacks provided Group closed to new members after the third session

Intervention Curriculum 1. Nutrition and Exercise Education 2. Stress and Coping 3. Media Literacy

Measures Nutritional measures Rapid Eating Assessment for Participants-Short Version (REAP-S, Segal-Isaacson et al., 2004) Nutrition knowledge test Body Image measures Body Image Scale (BIS; Martinez et al., 2005) Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26; Garner et al., 1982)

Sample description (n=10) Mean age: 48 years-old (SD= 1.91; Range= years) African American: 60%; Latino: 40% Gay/bisexual: 80% At least some high school: 40%

Results Baseline3 months t M (SD) Nutritional outcomes Nutrition Knowledge Test6.3 (.948)6.6 (1.17)t= REAPS26 (3.91)23.2 (4.21)t= 2.35 * Sugar Subscore3.8 (1.22)3.1 (1.37)t= 1.76 Fat Subscore7.7 (1.56)6.4 (1.71)t= 2.75 * Body image outcomes Body Image Scale25.8 (9.08)23.3 (7.13)t= 1.03 EAT (12.16)13.9 (12)t= * p <.05

Discussion Strengths Psychoeducation modality Men of color High rate of participation Limitations Small sample Lack of strict eligibility Criteria Low literacy

Potential changes for future group cycles Stricter eligibility criteria Additional tools to measure body image, quality of life Revised Nutrition Knowledge Test Revising content of intervention Women’s Body Image Group

Moving towards intervention research: Progress and opportunities Submitted paper summarizing evaluation to AIDS Care Designing quantitative study to assess the prevalence of body image dissatisfaction among MSM living with HIV/AIDS Conference call with NIMH project officer to discuss next steps in applying for a grant to support further development and testing of this intervention

Moving towards intervention research: Challenges Ethical challenges of more rigorous research designs in the context of community-based organizations Thin line between research and evaluation: When is consultation with an IRB necessary?