Katherine G Merrill
Biographic Data
| ID | 6634889 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Katherine G Merrill |
| GIVEN NAMES | Katherine G |
| FAMILY NAME | Merrill |
| SIGNATURE | MERRILL K G |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of Illinois Chicago |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-5308-4154 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 18 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 0 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 18 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 0 |
Amplifying Coaches’ voices from the implementation of the MindSKILLZ youth mental health program in Kenya
Young implementers bring valuable insights that can help inform and create effective mental health support systems and interventions tailored to their needs and unique experiences. However, their perspectives are often overlooked. This qualitative study analysed discourses from community role models, referred to as MindSKILLZ Coaches. We hosted five focus group discussions and collected 30 personal stories journaled by MindSKILLZ Coaches in Nairo…
The MindSKILLZ sport-based mental health promotion intervention for adolescents in Kenya
Background: Young people in Eastern and Southern Africa face critical mental health challenges, and most have little or no access to mental health care and support. MindSKILLZ is a sport-based mental health promotion and prevention intervention delivered to adolescents aged 10-14 by trained near-peer mentors (Coaches). A pragmatic pilot study was undertaken in Nairobi and Mombasa counties of Kenya to: (a) assess preliminary effects on adolescents…
Adapting a sexual and reproductive health program for Latina teens and their female caregivers
Background Adaptation is widely recognized as important when interventions are to be delivered in new settings or with new populations. However, there are gaps in the literature on how adaptations are carried out and documented. IMARA is a 12-h evidence-based sexual health intervention for Black teens and their mothers, designed for delivery over two days. We present our systematic process of adapting IMARA for Latinas to produce the Floreciendo …
A Gamified Digital Mental Health Intervention Across Six Sub-Saharan African Countries
Mental health conditions affect many young people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where stigma is high and access to care is limited. Digital tools accessible on basic mobile phones offer a scalable way to promote mental health, but evidence on their effectiveness in SSA is limited. This study evaluated the reach, feasibility, acceptability, and knowledge outcomes of Digital MindSKILLZ, an interactive voice response (IVR) mental health intervention …
Theater testing a sexual and reproductive health program for Latina teens and their female caregivers
Findings offer preliminary evidence of Floreciendo's acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Theater testing is a valuable tool for intervention adaptation and FRAME is useful for tracking curriculum modifications over time. MOST researchers could consider theater testing while carrying out preparation-phase activities
Characteristics of Effective Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs for Latine Teens and their Families in the United States
Introduction Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions have demonstrated effectiveness among Latine youth, but less is known about the content and delivery features of effective programs. This scoping review aimed to identify characteristics of effective SRH programs for Latine teens and their families in the U.S. to inform the adaptation of the Floreciendo SRH program. Methods Records were searched since 2002 in Pubmed, Embase, and Psyc…
Preliminary effectiveness and implementation outcomes of the Imara-South Africa sexual health intervention on adolescent girls and young women
Family-based interventions may help reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa but few have been tested. We examined the preliminary effectiveness and implementation outcomes of I nformed , M otivated , A ware , and R esponsible A dolescents and Adults— S outh A frica (IMARA-SA) , an evidence-based intervention for South African AGYW (15–19 years) and …
The association between violence victimization and subsequent unplanned pregnancy among adolescent girls in Uganda
Violence victimization is a risk factor for adolescent pregnancy in high-income, low violence prevalence countries, but longitudinal data are lacking from settings where violence and adolescent pregnancy are common, including sub-Saharan Africa. We also know little about contextual factors which modify this association. We analyzed data from the Contexts of Violence in Adolescence Cohort (CoVAC) study in Luwero District, Uganda. Primary students …
So hurt and broken’
Emerging data show associations between violence victimisation and negative HIV outcomes among youth in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted in-depth interviews with adolescents and young adults living with HIV (aged 15-24 years) in Ndola, Zambia, to better understand this relationship. We purposively selected 41 youth (24 females, 17 males) with varied experiences of violence and virologic results. Analysis used thematic coding. Two-thirds of partic…
An individually randomized controlled trial of a mother-daughter HIV/STI prevention program for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa
ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT04758390 , accepted 02/16/2021
Mental health outcomes of a pilot 2-arm randomized controlled trial of a HIV-prevention program for South African adolescent girls and young women and their female caregivers
ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT04758390 , accepted 17/02/2021
How does learning one’s HIV status relate to viral suppression? an analysis among perinatally infected adolescents and young adults in Ndola, Zambia
Little data exist on how 15-to-24-year-old perinatally infected youth living with HIV (p-YLHIV) learn their HIV status, and how those disclosure experiences may relate to current viral suppression (VS). Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using baseline data from a randomized controlled trial testing a peer mentoring program in Ndola, Zambia. Analyses were restricted to self-reported p-YLHIV to assess associations between disclosure experienc…
Intimate partner violence polyvictimisation and HIV among coupled women in Zambia
Women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately at risk for the dual epidemics of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV. Little is known about how specific violence profiles affect women's HIV risk, limiting effective intervention. We analysed couples' data from the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-2014 to evaluate relationships among IPV, male partner HIV status and women's HIV status. We considered the individual and combined effe…
Past-Year Violence Victimization is Associated with Viral Load Failure Among HIV-Positive Adolescents and Young Adults
We examined the relationship between past-year violence victimization and viral load (VL) failure among consecutively-sampled male and female adolescents and young adults, aged 15-24, in four HIV clinics in Ndola, Zambia. Measures of past-year physical violence, psychological abuse, and forced sex were adapted from the ICAST-C and WHO Multi-Country Study. Using logistic regression, we derived associations between VL failure (≥ 1000 copies/mL) and…
Missed Opportunities for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Through Microcredit
Microcredit has shown mixed results when used to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). This study explored microcredit and IPV in Bangladesh by conducting 12 focus groups with married men and women. Participants described challenges to microcredit participation highlighting "missed opportunities" for reducing IPV, including needs to (a) prevent violence sparked by loan disputes, (b) incorporate skill development to improve women's agency as a m…
Violence against children in Latin America and the Caribbean
Past-year physical and emotional violence by caregivers and students is widespread in LAC across all ages in childhood, as is IPV against girls aged 15 - 19 years. Data collection must be expanded in LAC to monitor progress towards the sustainable development goals, develop effective prevention and response strategies, and shed light on violence relating to organized crime/gangs
Who perpetrates violence against children? A systematic analysis of age-specific and sex-specific data
OBJECTIVE: The epidemiology of violence against children is likely to differ substantially by sex and age of the victim and the perpetrator. Thus far, investment in effective prevention strategies has been hindered by lack of clarity in the burden of childhood violence across these dimensions. We produced the first age-specific and sex-specific prevalence estimates by perpetrator type for physical, sexual and emotional violence against children g…
Missed treatment opportunities and barriers to comprehensive treatment for sexual violence survivors in Kenya
Nationally, survivors at higher risk of not accessing healthcare include older survivors; partnered or ever partnered survivors; survivors experiencing sexual violence from intimate partners; children experiencing violence in schools; and men. Interventions at the community level should target survivors who are unlikely to access healthcare and address barriers to early access to care. Staff training and specific clinical guidelines/protocols for…
No prominent works on this page.
Who perpetrates violence against children? A systematic analysis of age-specific and sex-specific data
OBJECTIVE: The epidemiology of violence against children is likely to differ substantially by sex and age of the victim and the perpetrator. Thus far, investment in effective prevention strategies has been hindered by lack of clarity in the burden of childhood violence across these dimensions. We produced the first age-specific and sex-specific prevalence estimates by perpetrator type for physical, sexual and emotional violence against children g…
Missed treatment opportunities and barriers to comprehensive treatment for sexual violence survivors in Kenya
Nationally, survivors at higher risk of not accessing healthcare include older survivors; partnered or ever partnered survivors; survivors experiencing sexual violence from intimate partners; children experiencing violence in schools; and men. Interventions at the community level should target survivors who are unlikely to access healthcare and address barriers to early access to care. Staff training and specific clinical guidelines/protocols for…
Violence against children in Latin America and the Caribbean
Past-year physical and emotional violence by caregivers and students is widespread in LAC across all ages in childhood, as is IPV against girls aged 15 - 19 years. Data collection must be expanded in LAC to monitor progress towards the sustainable development goals, develop effective prevention and response strategies, and shed light on violence relating to organized crime/gangs
Intimate partner violence polyvictimisation and HIV among coupled women in Zambia
Women in sub-Saharan Africa are disproportionately at risk for the dual epidemics of intimate partner violence (IPV) and HIV. Little is known about how specific violence profiles affect women's HIV risk, limiting effective intervention. We analysed couples' data from the Zambia Demographic and Health Survey 2013-2014 to evaluate relationships among IPV, male partner HIV status and women's HIV status. We considered the individual and combined effe…
Past-Year Violence Victimization is Associated with Viral Load Failure Among HIV-Positive Adolescents and Young Adults
We examined the relationship between past-year violence victimization and viral load (VL) failure among consecutively-sampled male and female adolescents and young adults, aged 15-24, in four HIV clinics in Ndola, Zambia. Measures of past-year physical violence, psychological abuse, and forced sex were adapted from the ICAST-C and WHO Multi-Country Study. Using logistic regression, we derived associations between VL failure (≥ 1000 copies/mL) and…
Missed Opportunities for Addressing Intimate Partner Violence Through Microcredit
Microcredit has shown mixed results when used to reduce intimate partner violence (IPV). This study explored microcredit and IPV in Bangladesh by conducting 12 focus groups with married men and women. Participants described challenges to microcredit participation highlighting "missed opportunities" for reducing IPV, including needs to (a) prevent violence sparked by loan disputes, (b) incorporate skill development to improve women's agency as a m…
So hurt and broken’
Emerging data show associations between violence victimisation and negative HIV outcomes among youth in sub-Saharan Africa. We conducted in-depth interviews with adolescents and young adults living with HIV (aged 15-24 years) in Ndola, Zambia, to better understand this relationship. We purposively selected 41 youth (24 females, 17 males) with varied experiences of violence and virologic results. Analysis used thematic coding. Two-thirds of partic…
An individually randomized controlled trial of a mother-daughter HIV/STI prevention program for adolescent girls and young women in South Africa
ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT04758390 , accepted 02/16/2021
Mental health outcomes of a pilot 2-arm randomized controlled trial of a HIV-prevention program for South African adolescent girls and young women and their female caregivers
ClinicalTrials.gov Number NCT04758390 , accepted 17/02/2021
How does learning one’s HIV status relate to viral suppression? an analysis among perinatally infected adolescents and young adults in Ndola, Zambia
Little data exist on how 15-to-24-year-old perinatally infected youth living with HIV (p-YLHIV) learn their HIV status, and how those disclosure experiences may relate to current viral suppression (VS). Cross-sectional analyses were conducted using baseline data from a randomized controlled trial testing a peer mentoring program in Ndola, Zambia. Analyses were restricted to self-reported p-YLHIV to assess associations between disclosure experienc…
Preliminary effectiveness and implementation outcomes of the Imara-South Africa sexual health intervention on adolescent girls and young women
Family-based interventions may help reduce the risk of HIV and other sexually transmitted infections (STI) among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in sub-Saharan Africa but few have been tested. We examined the preliminary effectiveness and implementation outcomes of I nformed , M otivated , A ware , and R esponsible A dolescents and Adults— S outh A frica (IMARA-SA) , an evidence-based intervention for South African AGYW (15–19 years) and …
The association between violence victimization and subsequent unplanned pregnancy among adolescent girls in Uganda
Violence victimization is a risk factor for adolescent pregnancy in high-income, low violence prevalence countries, but longitudinal data are lacking from settings where violence and adolescent pregnancy are common, including sub-Saharan Africa. We also know little about contextual factors which modify this association. We analyzed data from the Contexts of Violence in Adolescence Cohort (CoVAC) study in Luwero District, Uganda. Primary students …
Adapting a sexual and reproductive health program for Latina teens and their female caregivers
Background Adaptation is widely recognized as important when interventions are to be delivered in new settings or with new populations. However, there are gaps in the literature on how adaptations are carried out and documented. IMARA is a 12-h evidence-based sexual health intervention for Black teens and their mothers, designed for delivery over two days. We present our systematic process of adapting IMARA for Latinas to produce the Floreciendo …
A Gamified Digital Mental Health Intervention Across Six Sub-Saharan African Countries
Mental health conditions affect many young people in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), where stigma is high and access to care is limited. Digital tools accessible on basic mobile phones offer a scalable way to promote mental health, but evidence on their effectiveness in SSA is limited. This study evaluated the reach, feasibility, acceptability, and knowledge outcomes of Digital MindSKILLZ, an interactive voice response (IVR) mental health intervention …
Theater testing a sexual and reproductive health program for Latina teens and their female caregivers
Findings offer preliminary evidence of Floreciendo's acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility. Theater testing is a valuable tool for intervention adaptation and FRAME is useful for tracking curriculum modifications over time. MOST researchers could consider theater testing while carrying out preparation-phase activities
Characteristics of Effective Sexual and Reproductive Health Programs for Latine Teens and their Families in the United States
Introduction Sexual and reproductive health (SRH) interventions have demonstrated effectiveness among Latine youth, but less is known about the content and delivery features of effective programs. This scoping review aimed to identify characteristics of effective SRH programs for Latine teens and their families in the U.S. to inform the adaptation of the Floreciendo SRH program. Methods Records were searched since 2002 in Pubmed, Embase, and Psyc…
Amplifying Coaches’ voices from the implementation of the MindSKILLZ youth mental health program in Kenya
Young implementers bring valuable insights that can help inform and create effective mental health support systems and interventions tailored to their needs and unique experiences. However, their perspectives are often overlooked. This qualitative study analysed discourses from community role models, referred to as MindSKILLZ Coaches. We hosted five focus group discussions and collected 30 personal stories journaled by MindSKILLZ Coaches in Nairo…
The MindSKILLZ sport-based mental health promotion intervention for adolescents in Kenya
Background: Young people in Eastern and Southern Africa face critical mental health challenges, and most have little or no access to mental health care and support. MindSKILLZ is a sport-based mental health promotion and prevention intervention delivered to adolescents aged 10-14 by trained near-peer mentors (Coaches). A pragmatic pilot study was undertaken in Nairobi and Mombasa counties of Kenya to: (a) assess preliminary effects on adolescents…
Medicine (15 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (10 works) · Environmental health (9 works) · Psychology (9 works) · Intimate Partner and Family Violence (8 works) · Demography (7 works) · Psychological intervention (7 works) · Domestic violence (6 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (6 works) · Poison control (6 works)