Kara Marson
Biographic Data
| ID | 4470670 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Kara Marson |
| GIVEN NAMES | Kara |
| FAMILY NAME | Marson |
| SIGNATURE | MARSON K |
| AFFILIATIONS | University of California, San Francisco |
| ORCID | 0000-0001-9534-0371 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 6 |
| WORKS AS AUTHOR | 16 |
| WORKS AS EDITOR | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2014 |
| 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…
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…
Doing more with less
Community-based organizations (CBOs) played a key role in providing health and safety net support to low-income Latino communities during the COVID-19 pandemic; yet we know little about how organizations navigated challenges during this time. Understanding how CBOs navigate challenging periods is critical to ensuring a robust safety net for Latino and other underserved populations. We examined the factors that allowed CBOs to address Latino commu…
Participant perspectives on incentives for TB preventative therapy adherence and reduced alcohol use
Economic incentives to promote health behavior change are highly efficacious for substance use disorders as well as increased medication adherence. Knowledge about participants’ experiences with and perceptions of incentives is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and optimize future incentive-based interventions. The Drinkers’ Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) trial enrolled people with HIV (PWH) in Uganda with latent tuberc…
Psychometric assessment of the Runyankole-translated Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale among persons with HIV in Uganda
We detected and mitigated measurement error in the 28-item Runyankole-translated SDS, and found that the modified 27-item scale had satisfactory construct validity and internal consistency in our sample. Future studies should continue to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Runyankole-translated SDS, including retranslating Item 14 and reevaluating its performance
Lessons from Two Latino Communities Working with Academic Partners to Increase Access to Covid-19 Testing
Objective: We sought to examine the experiences of community partners in a community–academic partnership to promote COVID-19 testing in two majority Latino communities. Methods: We conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews in English and Spanish with community-based organization leaders and community health workers/ promotoras ( n = 10) from June to July 2021. Interviews focused on identifying partner roles in planning and testing implementa…
Lessons from Two Latino Communities Working with Academic Partners to Increase Access to Covid-19 Testing
Community-academic partnerships that invest in strong relationships, community leadership, and a commitment to the community's preferred language offer a promising approach to addressing COVID-19 testing barriers. Findings provide direction for future research on how community members and academic partners can come together to inform strategies to continue addressing the COVID-19 pandemic
A Qualitative Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence Among HIV/TB Coinfected Persons With Problematic Alcohol Use Participating in an Incentive-Based Alcohol/Medication Adherence Intervention in Uga…
In Uganda, four in ten women report experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year. Salient drivers of IPV in sub-Saharan Africa include stress related to household finances, alcohol use, and partner infidelity. We conducted 42 interviews with participants ( n = 32) in the Drinkers' Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) study which included economic incentives, and their partners ( n = 10) to understand how participating in D…
Effects of a Covid-19 Public Health Lockdown on Drinking and Health Behavior Among Persons with HIV and with Unhealthy Alcohol use in Uganda
To better understand the impact of Uganda’s initial COVID-19 lockdown on alcohol use, we conducted a cross-sectional survey (August 2020-September 2021) among persons with HIV (PWH) with unhealthy alcohol use (but not receiving an alcohol intervention), enrolled in a trial of incentives to reduce alcohol use and improve isoniazid preventive therapy. We examined associations between bar-based drinking and decreased alcohol use, and decreased alcoh…
Unhealthy alcohol use and intimate partner violence among men and women living with HIV in Uganda
Prevalence of IPV victimization was comparable to estimates from a recent national survey, while perpetration among men was lower than expected. Alcohol use level was not associated with IPV victimization. It is possible that alcohol use in this sample was too high to detect differences in IPV. Our results suggest that women and younger PWH are priority populations for IPV prevention
Concordance Between Point-of-Care Urine Ethyl Glucuronide Alcohol Tests and Self-Reported Alcohol Use in Persons with HIV in Uganda
HIV retesting and risk behaviors among high-risk, HIV-uninfected adults in Uganda
There are limited data characterizing HIV retesting among high-risk adults in sub-Saharan Africa. From October-December 2018, we distributed recruitment cards offering health evaluations with HIV testing at venues frequented by individuals at-risk of HIV infection in Southwest Uganda. Those who attended were asked about their HIV testing history and risk factors: having >1 sexual partner, an HIV+ partner, STIs, and/or transactional sex. We define…
Planning prompts to promote uptake of HIV services among men
INTRODUCTION: Interventions informed by behavioural economics, such as planning prompts, have the potential to increase HIV testing at minimal or no cost. Planning prompts have not been previously evaluated for HIV testing uptake. We conducted a randomised clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of low-cost planning prompts to promote HIV testing among men. METHODS: We randomised adult men in rural Ugandan parishes to receive a calendar plan…
Leveraging incentives to increase HIV testing uptake among men
Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 08/10/2016, ID: NCT02890459. The first participant was enrolled on 11th April 2016
Men’s Beliefs About the Likelihood of Serodiscordance in Couples with an HIV-Positive Partner
Recent Violence in a Community-Based Sample of Homeless and Unstably Housed Women With High Levels of Psychiatric Comorbidity
Objectives. We determined associations between co-occurring psychiatric conditions and violence against homeless and unstably housed women. Methods. Between 2008 and 2010, we interviewed homeless and unstably housed women recruited from community venues about violence, socioeconomic factors, and psychiatric conditions. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine independent correlates of violence. Results. Among 291 women, 97% screened…
Recent Violence in a Community-Based Sample of Homeless and Unstably Housed Women With High Levels of Psychiatric Comorbidity
Objectives. We determined associations between co-occurring psychiatric conditions and violence against homeless and unstably housed women. Methods. Between 2008 and 2010, we interviewed homeless and unstably housed women recruited from community venues about violence, socioeconomic factors, and psychiatric conditions. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine independent correlates of violence. Results. Among 291 women, 97% screened…
Recent Violence in a Community-Based Sample of Homeless and Unstably Housed Women With High Levels of Psychiatric Comorbidity
Objectives. We determined associations between co-occurring psychiatric conditions and violence against homeless and unstably housed women. Methods. Between 2008 and 2010, we interviewed homeless and unstably housed women recruited from community venues about violence, socioeconomic factors, and psychiatric conditions. We used multivariable logistic regression to determine independent correlates of violence. Results. Among 291 women, 97% screened…
Leveraging incentives to increase HIV testing uptake among men
Registered with ClinicalTrials.gov on 08/10/2016, ID: NCT02890459. The first participant was enrolled on 11th April 2016
Men’s Beliefs About the Likelihood of Serodiscordance in Couples with an HIV-Positive Partner
Planning prompts to promote uptake of HIV services among men
INTRODUCTION: Interventions informed by behavioural economics, such as planning prompts, have the potential to increase HIV testing at minimal or no cost. Planning prompts have not been previously evaluated for HIV testing uptake. We conducted a randomised clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of low-cost planning prompts to promote HIV testing among men. METHODS: We randomised adult men in rural Ugandan parishes to receive a calendar plan…
HIV retesting and risk behaviors among high-risk, HIV-uninfected adults in Uganda
There are limited data characterizing HIV retesting among high-risk adults in sub-Saharan Africa. From October-December 2018, we distributed recruitment cards offering health evaluations with HIV testing at venues frequented by individuals at-risk of HIV infection in Southwest Uganda. Those who attended were asked about their HIV testing history and risk factors: having >1 sexual partner, an HIV+ partner, STIs, and/or transactional sex. We define…
Unhealthy alcohol use and intimate partner violence among men and women living with HIV in Uganda
Prevalence of IPV victimization was comparable to estimates from a recent national survey, while perpetration among men was lower than expected. Alcohol use level was not associated with IPV victimization. It is possible that alcohol use in this sample was too high to detect differences in IPV. Our results suggest that women and younger PWH are priority populations for IPV prevention
Concordance Between Point-of-Care Urine Ethyl Glucuronide Alcohol Tests and Self-Reported Alcohol Use in Persons with HIV in Uganda
Effects of a Covid-19 Public Health Lockdown on Drinking and Health Behavior Among Persons with HIV and with Unhealthy Alcohol use in Uganda
To better understand the impact of Uganda’s initial COVID-19 lockdown on alcohol use, we conducted a cross-sectional survey (August 2020-September 2021) among persons with HIV (PWH) with unhealthy alcohol use (but not receiving an alcohol intervention), enrolled in a trial of incentives to reduce alcohol use and improve isoniazid preventive therapy. We examined associations between bar-based drinking and decreased alcohol use, and decreased alcoh…
Participant perspectives on incentives for TB preventative therapy adherence and reduced alcohol use
Economic incentives to promote health behavior change are highly efficacious for substance use disorders as well as increased medication adherence. Knowledge about participants’ experiences with and perceptions of incentives is needed to understand their mechanisms of action and optimize future incentive-based interventions. The Drinkers’ Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) trial enrolled people with HIV (PWH) in Uganda with latent tuberc…
Psychometric assessment of the Runyankole-translated Marlowe-Crowne Social Desirability Scale among persons with HIV in Uganda
We detected and mitigated measurement error in the 28-item Runyankole-translated SDS, and found that the modified 27-item scale had satisfactory construct validity and internal consistency in our sample. Future studies should continue to evaluate the psychometric properties of the Runyankole-translated SDS, including retranslating Item 14 and reevaluating its performance
Lessons from Two Latino Communities Working with Academic Partners to Increase Access to Covid-19 Testing
Objective: We sought to examine the experiences of community partners in a community–academic partnership to promote COVID-19 testing in two majority Latino communities. Methods: We conducted semistructured, in-depth interviews in English and Spanish with community-based organization leaders and community health workers/ promotoras ( n = 10) from June to July 2021. Interviews focused on identifying partner roles in planning and testing implementa…
Lessons from Two Latino Communities Working with Academic Partners to Increase Access to Covid-19 Testing
Community-academic partnerships that invest in strong relationships, community leadership, and a commitment to the community's preferred language offer a promising approach to addressing COVID-19 testing barriers. Findings provide direction for future research on how community members and academic partners can come together to inform strategies to continue addressing the COVID-19 pandemic
A Qualitative Exploration of Intimate Partner Violence Among HIV/TB Coinfected Persons With Problematic Alcohol Use Participating in an Incentive-Based Alcohol/Medication Adherence Intervention in Uga…
In Uganda, four in ten women report experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in the past year. Salient drivers of IPV in sub-Saharan Africa include stress related to household finances, alcohol use, and partner infidelity. We conducted 42 interviews with participants ( n = 32) in the Drinkers' Intervention to Prevent Tuberculosis (DIPT) study which included economic incentives, and their partners ( n = 10) to understand how participating in D…
Doing more with less
Community-based organizations (CBOs) played a key role in providing health and safety net support to low-income Latino communities during the COVID-19 pandemic; yet we know little about how organizations navigated challenges during this time. Understanding how CBOs navigate challenging periods is critical to ensuring a robust safety net for Latino and other underserved populations. We examined the factors that allowed CBOs to address Latino commu…
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…
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…
Medicine (14 works) · HIV, Drug Use, Sexual Risk (9 works) · HIV/AIDS Research and Interventions (9 works) · Environmental health (8 works) · Psychology (7 works) · Public health (7 works) · Adolescent Sexual and Reproductive Health (6 works) · Psychiatry (6 works) · Clinical Psychology (5 works) · Clinical Psychology (4 works)