Laura B Balzer
Biographic Data
| ID | 1732690 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Laura B Balzer |
| GIVEN NAMES | Laura B |
| FAMILY NAME | Balzer |
| SIGNATURE | BALZER L B |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of California, Berkeley |
| ORCID | 0000-0002-3730-410X |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 10 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 4 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 10 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2018 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2026 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Influence of alcohol-serving venue characteristics on yield of HIV status-neutral screening in rural East Africa
Alcohol-serving venues are high-risk sites for HIV transmission in East Africa. Understanding how venue characteristics influence HIV screening outcomes may help to target venue-based outreach. In eight rural communities in Kenya and Uganda, we mapped all alcohol-serving venues (N = 530) and invited owners to participate in a cluster-randomized trial to promote biomedical HIV prevention uptake: 527 (99%) owners agreed to participate. We distribut…
Perceived benefits of community-based TB preventive treatment in children in Uganda
Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) uptake among children at risk for TB remains low in sub-Saharan Africa. Community-based TPT delivery is effective at increasing uptake and completion in children compared to clinic-based models, but implementation research is needed to inform scale-up in real-world settings. In this qualitative study, we assessed community and health care provider perspectives on the anticipated benefits and barriers of a c…
Association between Levels of Alcohol Use, Perceived HIV Risk, and Untreated HIV Among Persons at Alcohol-Serving Venues in Kenya and Uganda
Alcohol-serving venues in East Africa are high-risk environments for HIV transmission but few studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have examined perceived HIV risk and sexual risk behaviors by alcohol use levels on a broader population of persons at alcohol-serving venues in the era of biomedical HIV prevention. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of adults (≥ 18 years) at alcohol-serving venues in eight communities (~ 10,000 residents/communi…
Metrics of Mobility by Sex are Associated with HIV Incidence in Rural Kenya and Uganda
The complex and dynamic nature of human mobility requires use of multiple measures and sex-stratified analyses to fully understand its influence on HIV acquisition risk in specific populations and settings. Longitudinal population-based studies designed to measure the influence of mobility (which includes both short and long-term, temporary and permanent changes of residence across defined geopolitical boundaries) on HIV acquisition risk are rare…
Stakeholder Perspectives on a Community-Based Peer-Led Biomedical HIV Prevention Intervention for Women Who Engage in Sex Work in Southwestern Uganda
HIV prevalence among Ugandan women who engage in sex work (WESW) is 31%, yet uptake of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is suboptimal due to multiple factors, including stigma and barriers to accessing healthcare. "Peer mentors" (peer leaders within WESW networks) could facilitate community-based delivery of biomedical HIV prevention products for WESW. We conducted formative research with key stakeholders t…
Population-level viremia predicts HIV incidence at the community level across the Universal Testing and Treatment Trials in eastern and southern Africa
Universal HIV testing and treatment (UTT) strategies aim to optimize population-level benefits of antiretroviral treatment. Between 2012 and 2018, four large community randomized trials were conducted in eastern and southern Africa. While their results were broadly consistent showing decreased population-level viremia reduces HIV incidence, it remains unclear how much HIV incidence can be reduced by increasing suppression among people living with…
Two or more significant life-events in 6-months are associated with lower rates of HIV treatment and virologic suppression among youth with HIV in Uganda and Kenya
Youth living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa have poor HIV care outcomes. We determined the association of recent significant life-events with HIV antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation and HIV viral suppression in youth aged 15–24 years living with HIV in rural Kenya and Uganda. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 995 youth enrolled in the SEARCH Youth study. At baseline, providers assessed recent (within 6 months) life-events, defined as c…
Examining Obedience Training as a Physical Activity Intervention for Dog Owners
Dog training may strengthen the dog-owner bond, a consistent predictor of dog walking behavior. The Stealth Pet Obedience Training (SPOT) study piloted dog training as a stealth physical activity (PA) intervention. In this study, 41 dog owners who reported dog walking ≤3 days/week were randomized to a six-week basic obedience training class or waitlist control. Participants wore accelerometers and logged dog walking at baseline, 6- and 12-weeks. …
Hypertension control in integrated HIV and chronic disease clinics in Uganda in the SEARCH study
The SEARCH Trial was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT01864603
Effect of a conditional cash transfer program on length-for-age and weight-for-age in Brazilian infants at 24 months using doubly-robust, targeted estimation
Effect of a conditional cash transfer program on length-for-age and weight-for-age in Brazilian infants at 24 months using doubly-robust, targeted estimation
Hypertension control in integrated HIV and chronic disease clinics in Uganda in the SEARCH study
The SEARCH Trial was prospectively registered with ClinicalTrials.gov : NCT01864603
Examining Obedience Training as a Physical Activity Intervention for Dog Owners
Dog training may strengthen the dog-owner bond, a consistent predictor of dog walking behavior. The Stealth Pet Obedience Training (SPOT) study piloted dog training as a stealth physical activity (PA) intervention. In this study, 41 dog owners who reported dog walking ≤3 days/week were randomized to a six-week basic obedience training class or waitlist control. Participants wore accelerometers and logged dog walking at baseline, 6- and 12-weeks. …
Population-level viremia predicts HIV incidence at the community level across the Universal Testing and Treatment Trials in eastern and southern Africa
Universal HIV testing and treatment (UTT) strategies aim to optimize population-level benefits of antiretroviral treatment. Between 2012 and 2018, four large community randomized trials were conducted in eastern and southern Africa. While their results were broadly consistent showing decreased population-level viremia reduces HIV incidence, it remains unclear how much HIV incidence can be reduced by increasing suppression among people living with…
Two or more significant life-events in 6-months are associated with lower rates of HIV treatment and virologic suppression among youth with HIV in Uganda and Kenya
Youth living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa have poor HIV care outcomes. We determined the association of recent significant life-events with HIV antiretroviral treatment (ART) initiation and HIV viral suppression in youth aged 15–24 years living with HIV in rural Kenya and Uganda. This was a cross-sectional analysis of 995 youth enrolled in the SEARCH Youth study. At baseline, providers assessed recent (within 6 months) life-events, defined as c…
Metrics of Mobility by Sex are Associated with HIV Incidence in Rural Kenya and Uganda
The complex and dynamic nature of human mobility requires use of multiple measures and sex-stratified analyses to fully understand its influence on HIV acquisition risk in specific populations and settings. Longitudinal population-based studies designed to measure the influence of mobility (which includes both short and long-term, temporary and permanent changes of residence across defined geopolitical boundaries) on HIV acquisition risk are rare…
Stakeholder Perspectives on a Community-Based Peer-Led Biomedical HIV Prevention Intervention for Women Who Engage in Sex Work in Southwestern Uganda
HIV prevalence among Ugandan women who engage in sex work (WESW) is 31%, yet uptake of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) is suboptimal due to multiple factors, including stigma and barriers to accessing healthcare. "Peer mentors" (peer leaders within WESW networks) could facilitate community-based delivery of biomedical HIV prevention products for WESW. We conducted formative research with key stakeholders t…
Influence of alcohol-serving venue characteristics on yield of HIV status-neutral screening in rural East Africa
Alcohol-serving venues are high-risk sites for HIV transmission in East Africa. Understanding how venue characteristics influence HIV screening outcomes may help to target venue-based outreach. In eight rural communities in Kenya and Uganda, we mapped all alcohol-serving venues (N = 530) and invited owners to participate in a cluster-randomized trial to promote biomedical HIV prevention uptake: 527 (99%) owners agreed to participate. We distribut…
Perceived benefits of community-based TB preventive treatment in children in Uganda
Tuberculosis preventive treatment (TPT) uptake among children at risk for TB remains low in sub-Saharan Africa. Community-based TPT delivery is effective at increasing uptake and completion in children compared to clinic-based models, but implementation research is needed to inform scale-up in real-world settings. In this qualitative study, we assessed community and health care provider perspectives on the anticipated benefits and barriers of a c…
Association between Levels of Alcohol Use, Perceived HIV Risk, and Untreated HIV Among Persons at Alcohol-Serving Venues in Kenya and Uganda
Alcohol-serving venues in East Africa are high-risk environments for HIV transmission but few studies in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) have examined perceived HIV risk and sexual risk behaviors by alcohol use levels on a broader population of persons at alcohol-serving venues in the era of biomedical HIV prevention. We conducted a cross-sectional analysis of adults (≥ 18 years) at alcohol-serving venues in eight communities (~ 10,000 residents/communi…
HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (8 works) · Medicine (8 works) · Environmental health (5 works) · Public health (5 works) · Demography (4 works) · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk (4 works) · Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV (4 works) · Population (4 works) · Family medicine (3 works) · Health psychology (3 works)