F A Browne
Biographic Data
| ID | 111715 |
|---|---|
| NAME | F A Browne |
| GIVEN NAMES | F A |
| FAMILY NAME | Browne |
| SIGNATURE | BROWNE F A |
| AFFILIATIONS | RTI International |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-4230-2096 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 36 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 15 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 36 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2011 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2025 |
| H-INDEX | 2 |
“ … They cannot help you because you’re at McDonald’s and you’re asking for pizza”. A qualitative exploration of the acceptability and appropriateness of integrating of pharmacotherapy for mental heal…
Mental health disorders contribute to a lack of HIV care retention and adherence. Pharmacotherapy for mental health treatment may increase retention and adherence. However, there is often a lack of pharmacotherapy services for mental health treatment available in HIV care. The current study explores the extent to which people living with HIV find the integration of pharmacotherapy for mental health treatment into HIV care acceptable and appropria…
Outcomes of substance use and sexual power among adolescent girls and young women in Cape Town
Adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in South Africa experience contextual barriers to HIV risk reduction including incomplete schooling, unintended pregnancy, substance use, and gender-based violence. A cluster randomised trial in Cape Town allocated 24 Black and Coloured communities to a gender-focused HIV risk-reduction intervention or HIV testing, with 500 AGYW total enrolled. We evaluated intervention efficacy by comparing mean difference…
Perceptions of perinatal alcohol use and treatment needs in Cape Town, South Africa
Findings from this study highlight the need for an alcohol intervention programme that is innovative and tailored to the needs of women who are pregnant or postpartum. It also highlights the importance of including community-based support and partner involvement in these interventions
Adapting an evidence-based contingency management and text messaging intervention for South African perinatal women who drink
South Africa has one of the highest prevalence rates globally for fetal alcohol spectrum disorders. Despite this, few interventions are routinely available for countering the adverse effects of perinatal drinking. The current study used the ADAPT-ITT framework to guide the development of a behavioral intervention with remote alcohol use monitoring and provision of financial incentives contingent on alcohol abstinence for people who are pregnant a…
Condom Use at Last Sex and Sexual Negotiation Among Young African American Women in North Carolina
African American women are 10.8 times more likely to be diagnosed with HIV compared with White women. This descriptive study fills a gap by examining associations among social and contextual factors and sexual communication, condom use, and safer sex negotiation among African American women. Study participants between 18 and 25 years of age and who reported recent substance use were recruited from three North Carolina counties. A risk behavior su…
HIV-related risk among justice-involved young African American women in the U.S. South
Incarceration rates have increased exponentially among women, and racial disparities in justice involvement persist. Coupled with disparities in HIV in the US South that begin early in the life course, it is important to explicate the relationship between justice involvement, HIV-related risk (such as illicit drug use and sexual risk), and service needs for young African American women. This study examined the association of previous arrest, biol…
Relationship Between Criminal and Status Offense Behaviors, Substance Use, and HIV Risk Among Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Cape Town, South Africa
This study aimed to examine the relationship between externalizing behaviors, substance use, and sexual risk among adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) in Cape Town, South Africa, who experience social disadvantage characterized by poverty and school dropout. We analyzed baseline data from 500 AGYW in a cluster-randomized trial who had dropped out of school. Multivariate logistic regression models explored associations between self-reported cr…
Binge drinking and condom negotiation behaviours among adolescent girls and young women living in Cape Town, South Africa
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT02974998 (recruitment completed). 29/11/2016
The Importance of the Individual in PrEP Uptake
A Scoping Review of Computer-Based and Telecommunication Technology Interventions to Address Drug and Alcohol Misuse and Smoking in Women
Background Computer-based and telecommunication technology has become increasingly common to address addiction among women. This review assessed the effect of technology-based interventions on substance misuse, alcohol use, and smoking outcomes among women.Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline was used to conduct the scoping review. Four databas…
‘We have goals but [it is difficult]’. Barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence among women using alcohol and other drugs living with HIV in South Africa
BACKGROUND: Women living with HIV who misuse alcohol and live in economically disadvantaged settings in South Africa experience a multitude of contextual barriers as they navigate the HIV care continuum. The Women's Health CoOp (WHC), a brief, woman-focused, behavioural, evidence-based intervention, has been shown to be effective in reducing heavy drinking and improving HIV-related outcomes among this key population. However, these women face oth…
Stigma in the health clinic and implications for PrEP access and use by adolescent girls and young women
Evidence is needed to inform strategies for addressing clinic stigma toward AGYW, with the goal of removing barriers to PrEP services for this group. While awareness has increased and progress has been achieved around the provision of comprehensive, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, these programs need to be adapted for the specific concerns of young people seeking PrEP services. Our findings point to the four key areas note…
Social Determinants of Alcohol and Other Drug Misuse Among Women Living with HIV in Economically Underserved Communities in Cape Town, South Africa
Alcohol, drug use, and sexual risk among young African American women in North Carolina
Previous research shows that educational attainment is a protective factor for substance use and sexual risk among adolescents and young adults. Evidence also shows that this relationship may differ by race/ethnicity and gender. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between educational attainment, substance use and sexual risk among African American women in emerging adulthood. This study uses cross-sectional data from 646 African Americ…
“Because all mothers is not the same”
INTRODUCTION: South Africa has one of the highest incidences of HIV among adolescent girls and young women (AGW), ages 15-24, and recent research has focused on developing interventions for HIV prevention. However, the South African National Health Act requires those under 18 years of age to obtain a guardian's permission to participate in research. Limiting research enrolment to AGYW who can obtain guardian consent may lead to non-representative…
Sustainability of a gender-focused HIV and alcohol risk-reduction intervention in usual care settings in South Africa
Intervention sustainability is a critical yet understudied aspect of implementation science research. To address this gap, we examined the sustainability of the Women’s Health CoOp (WHC), a gender-focused, evidence-based, HIV and alcohol risk-reduction intervention, after an implementation trial. We used a mixed methods design consisting of questionnaires (n = 12), 3 focus groups (n = 11), and a semistructured interview conducted with interventio…
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Adherence and Prenatal Alcohol Use among Women Who Are Pregnant with HIV in South Africa
This brief report emphasizes the need to focus on women with HIV who are pregnant who use alcohol or other drugs. A recently completed implementation science study tested a gender-focused behavioral intervention, the Women's Health CoOp (WHC), to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and reduce alcohol use among women with HIV. The study identified 33 participants who had a positive pregnancy test result at the baseline assessment, of wh…
The Association of Recurrent and Multiple Types of Abuse with Adverse Mental Health, Substance Use, and Sexual Health Outcomes among Out-of-School Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Cape Town, South …
Although physical and sexual abuse exposure is a well-established risk for poor health, the dimensions of abuse associated with health among socially vulnerable adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) remain underexamined. This article describes associations between combinations of abuse type and timing with mental health, substance use, and sexual risk outcomes among a sample of 499 AGYW (aged 16 to 19) who had left school early and were recruit…
Outcomes of Implementing in the Real World the Women's Health CoOp Intervention in Cape Town, South Africa
Women in South Africa living with HIV who use alcohol may not adhere to ART, affecting the country's 90-90-90 targets. The Women's Health CoOp (WHC), a woman-focused HIV intervention, has shown efficacy in numerous trials with key populations of women in South Africa who use alcohol and drugs. In a hybrid implementation effectiveness study, the WHC was implemented in usual care clinics by healthcare providers in a modified stepped-wedge design. W…
The PrEpare Pretoria Project
Background Despite increased prevention efforts, HIV remains the leading cause of death among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa. Although research indicates important determinants of HIV acquisition at the individual and interpersonal levels, structural-level stigma and discrimination continue to be critical barriers to reaching and retaining this key population for HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health services. Innova…
Service providers’ perceptions of barriers to the implementation of trauma-focused substance use services for women in Cape Town, South Africa
Cannabis use and breastfeeding
Think Inside the Box
Exploring the associations between physical and sexual gender-based violence and HIV among women who use substances in South Africa
Objective: South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV among women, the highest prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV), and the highest rates of per capita alcohol consumption in the world. The nuanced associations between GBV, alcohol misuse, and HIV must be explored and protective factors identified. This study examines the associations between physical and sexual GBV and HIV infection and explores how alcohol misuse and sexual agency may…
Adolescent female school dropouts who use drugs and engage in risky sex
Female adolescents from socioeconomically underserved communities in Cape Town, South Africa, who have dropped out of school, use substances, and engage in risky sex behaviour are at risk of HIV. Tailored gender-focused HIV behavioural interventions for this key population are needed to mitigate these risk factors. A pilot trial of a woman-focused risk-reduction intervention for adolescents was conducted (N = 100), with a one-month follow-up appo…
Low Prospects and High Risk
African American women at increased risk of HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) may engage in risky sex as a coping mechanism for depressed economic conditions. This study examines the association between high‐risk sexual behavior and structural determinants of sexual health among a sample of young African American women. 237 young African American women (16–19 years old) from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in North Carolina were e…
The influence of social determinants on sexual risk among out-of-school African American female adolescents
Formative research was conducted to understand the social determinants of HIV risk among African American female adolescents as part of a systematic adaptation of an evidence-based behavioral HIV prevention intervention, the Women's CoOp. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between November 2008 and April 2009 with 20 African American female adolescents aged 16-18 who reported engaging in sex, using alcohol or other drugs, and drop…
Alcohol, drug use, and sexual risk among young African American women in North Carolina
Previous research shows that educational attainment is a protective factor for substance use and sexual risk among adolescents and young adults. Evidence also shows that this relationship may differ by race/ethnicity and gender. This study aimed to elucidate the relationship between educational attainment, substance use and sexual risk among African American women in emerging adulthood. This study uses cross-sectional data from 646 African Americ…
Changing sex risk behaviors, gender norms, and relationship dynamics among couples in Cape Town, South Africa
Correlates of Male Condom Use Skills among High-Risk Women in South Africa
This exploratory study examined the performance of 295 South African women--who recently traded sex for goods or had unprotected sex--on a male condom use mastery index. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether age, marital status, highest education obtained, male condom use at first penetrative sex, receiving prior demonstration of male condom use, recent sexually transmitted infection symptoms,…
Exploring the Intersecting Health Risks of Substance Abuse, Sexual Risk, and Violence for Female South African Teen Dropouts
The study sought to better understand the cultural contexts of the risks for adolescent females who have dropped out of school. Focus groups were conducted with 37 Black and Coloured females aged 13 to 17 in Cape Town, South Africa. Data were analysed using content analysis. Methamphetamine, cannabis, and alcohol were used by both, however, Black teens also used methaqualone and Coloured teens used heroin and ecstasy. Some teens traded sex for dr…
Correlates of Male Condom Use Skills among High-Risk Women in South Africa
This exploratory study examined the performance of 295 South African women--who recently traded sex for goods or had unprotected sex--on a male condom use mastery index. Bivariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine whether age, marital status, highest education obtained, male condom use at first penetrative sex, receiving prior demonstration of male condom use, recent sexually transmitted infection symptoms,…
Ethnic differences in alcohol and drug use and related sexual risks for HIV among vulnerable women in Cape Town, South Africa
Findings support the need to develop and test AOD risk reduction interventions for women from both ethnic groups. In addition, findings point to the need for tailored interventions that target the distinct profiles of AOD use and AOD-related sex risks for HIV among Black African and Coloured women
Substance use, gender inequity, violence and sexual risk among couples in Cape Town
Alcohol and other drug use, gender power inequities and violence are key contributors to sexual risks for HIV among South African men and women. Little is known about the intersection between these sex-risk behaviours among couples in established heterosexual relationships. We conducted 10 focus-group discussions with men and women in relationships of 1 year or longer recruited from shebeens (informal taverns) in Cape Town, South Africa. Particip…
The influence of social determinants on sexual risk among out-of-school African American female adolescents
Formative research was conducted to understand the social determinants of HIV risk among African American female adolescents as part of a systematic adaptation of an evidence-based behavioral HIV prevention intervention, the Women's CoOp. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted between November 2008 and April 2009 with 20 African American female adolescents aged 16-18 who reported engaging in sex, using alcohol or other drugs, and drop…
Experiences of Violence and Association with Decreased Drug Abstinence Among Women in Cape Town, South Africa
Low Prospects and High Risk
African American women at increased risk of HIV/sexually transmitted infection (STI) may engage in risky sex as a coping mechanism for depressed economic conditions. This study examines the association between high‐risk sexual behavior and structural determinants of sexual health among a sample of young African American women. 237 young African American women (16–19 years old) from economically disadvantaged neighborhoods in North Carolina were e…
HIV Prevention Among Women Who Use Substances And Report Sex Work
The Young Women’s Health CoOp in Cape Town, South Africa
Trial registration no: NCT02974998 , November 29, 2016
MHealth versus face-to-face
ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT02965014 . Registered November 16, 2016
Changing sex risk behaviors, gender norms, and relationship dynamics among couples in Cape Town, South Africa
Exploring the associations between physical and sexual gender-based violence and HIV among women who use substances in South Africa
Objective: South Africa has the highest prevalence of HIV among women, the highest prevalence of gender-based violence (GBV), and the highest rates of per capita alcohol consumption in the world. The nuanced associations between GBV, alcohol misuse, and HIV must be explored and protective factors identified. This study examines the associations between physical and sexual GBV and HIV infection and explores how alcohol misuse and sexual agency may…
Adolescent female school dropouts who use drugs and engage in risky sex
Female adolescents from socioeconomically underserved communities in Cape Town, South Africa, who have dropped out of school, use substances, and engage in risky sex behaviour are at risk of HIV. Tailored gender-focused HIV behavioural interventions for this key population are needed to mitigate these risk factors. A pilot trial of a woman-focused risk-reduction intervention for adolescents was conducted (N = 100), with a one-month follow-up appo…
The PrEpare Pretoria Project
Background Despite increased prevention efforts, HIV remains the leading cause of death among adolescent girls and young women in South Africa. Although research indicates important determinants of HIV acquisition at the individual and interpersonal levels, structural-level stigma and discrimination continue to be critical barriers to reaching and retaining this key population for HIV prevention and sexual and reproductive health services. Innova…
Service providers’ perceptions of barriers to the implementation of trauma-focused substance use services for women in Cape Town, South Africa
Cannabis use and breastfeeding
Think Inside the Box
“Because all mothers is not the same”
INTRODUCTION: South Africa has one of the highest incidences of HIV among adolescent girls and young women (AGW), ages 15-24, and recent research has focused on developing interventions for HIV prevention. However, the South African National Health Act requires those under 18 years of age to obtain a guardian's permission to participate in research. Limiting research enrolment to AGYW who can obtain guardian consent may lead to non-representative…
Sustainability of a gender-focused HIV and alcohol risk-reduction intervention in usual care settings in South Africa
Intervention sustainability is a critical yet understudied aspect of implementation science research. To address this gap, we examined the sustainability of the Women’s Health CoOp (WHC), a gender-focused, evidence-based, HIV and alcohol risk-reduction intervention, after an implementation trial. We used a mixed methods design consisting of questionnaires (n = 12), 3 focus groups (n = 11), and a semistructured interview conducted with interventio…
Antiretroviral Therapy (ART) Adherence and Prenatal Alcohol Use among Women Who Are Pregnant with HIV in South Africa
This brief report emphasizes the need to focus on women with HIV who are pregnant who use alcohol or other drugs. A recently completed implementation science study tested a gender-focused behavioral intervention, the Women's Health CoOp (WHC), to improve antiretroviral therapy (ART) adherence and reduce alcohol use among women with HIV. The study identified 33 participants who had a positive pregnancy test result at the baseline assessment, of wh…
The Association of Recurrent and Multiple Types of Abuse with Adverse Mental Health, Substance Use, and Sexual Health Outcomes among Out-of-School Adolescent Girls and Young Women in Cape Town, South …
Although physical and sexual abuse exposure is a well-established risk for poor health, the dimensions of abuse associated with health among socially vulnerable adolescent girls and young women (AGYW) remain underexamined. This article describes associations between combinations of abuse type and timing with mental health, substance use, and sexual risk outcomes among a sample of 499 AGYW (aged 16 to 19) who had left school early and were recruit…
Outcomes of Implementing in the Real World the Women's Health CoOp Intervention in Cape Town, South Africa
Women in South Africa living with HIV who use alcohol may not adhere to ART, affecting the country's 90-90-90 targets. The Women's Health CoOp (WHC), a woman-focused HIV intervention, has shown efficacy in numerous trials with key populations of women in South Africa who use alcohol and drugs. In a hybrid implementation effectiveness study, the WHC was implemented in usual care clinics by healthcare providers in a modified stepped-wedge design. W…
A Scoping Review of Computer-Based and Telecommunication Technology Interventions to Address Drug and Alcohol Misuse and Smoking in Women
Background Computer-based and telecommunication technology has become increasingly common to address addiction among women. This review assessed the effect of technology-based interventions on substance misuse, alcohol use, and smoking outcomes among women.Methods The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) extension for scoping reviews (PRISMA-ScR) guideline was used to conduct the scoping review. Four databas…
‘We have goals but [it is difficult]’. Barriers to antiretroviral therapy adherence among women using alcohol and other drugs living with HIV in South Africa
BACKGROUND: Women living with HIV who misuse alcohol and live in economically disadvantaged settings in South Africa experience a multitude of contextual barriers as they navigate the HIV care continuum. The Women's Health CoOp (WHC), a brief, woman-focused, behavioural, evidence-based intervention, has been shown to be effective in reducing heavy drinking and improving HIV-related outcomes among this key population. However, these women face oth…
Stigma in the health clinic and implications for PrEP access and use by adolescent girls and young women
Evidence is needed to inform strategies for addressing clinic stigma toward AGYW, with the goal of removing barriers to PrEP services for this group. While awareness has increased and progress has been achieved around the provision of comprehensive, youth-friendly sexual and reproductive health services, these programs need to be adapted for the specific concerns of young people seeking PrEP services. Our findings point to the four key areas note…
Medicine (35 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (28 works) · Psychiatry (23 works) · Environmental health (22 works) · Psychology (22 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (20 works) · Family medicine (18 works) · Demography (16 works) · Psychological intervention (16 works) · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV (14 works)