The cross-network/trans-Institute Youth Prevention Working Group (YPRWG) was formed in the winter of 2012. Its creation was a key recommendation emerging from the NIH “Focused initiatives for Healthier Lifestyles by the Inter Network Advisory Group on Adolescent Prevention” meeting. The group consists of representatives from the NIH networks, the Adolescent Trials Network (ATN), DAIDS, NIAID, NIMH, NIDA, and NICHD.
The group addresses issues such as:
· Coordinate sharing of network adolescent research agendas
· Address the challenge of conducting trials across multiple networks
· Consider tangible outcomes such as dropping the mean age of network volunteers
· Validate existing tools
· Compare ongoing and upcoming studies
· Consider adolescent issues early on in design process
· Review relevant informed consent documents
· Collate a set of core competencies
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Coordination Objectives for 2018
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #1: Ensure cross-network/trans-institute communication around research in adolescent populations. Working group members accomplish this goal by liaising with their respective network leadership and protocol team members to share their assessment of ongoing research initiatives as well as identify potential gaps in the adolescent research agenda.
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #2: Explore opportunities to provide resources (training materials, webinars, etc.) and expertise to sites conducting research with adolescents.
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #3: Host informative webinars, symposiums, and trainings related to adolescent prevention research at the site and network levels. Disseminate these resources via webinars, network meetings, and scientific conferences as appropriate.
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #4: Publicize materials related to adolescent research in order to increase visibility of these resources as well as engage the larger research community. Maintain a resource library on the HANC website dedicated to youth prevention research. Resources will include protocols, best practices, case report forms, webinars, trainings articles, etc. from both within and outside of HIV/AIDS research relevant to the conduct of clinical research in the adolescent/young adult population (12-24).
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #5: Analyze the existing research imperatives, trial results, and protocols in development to identify gaps in the scientific enterprise, especially in the area of adolescent consent and autonomy, parental knowledge of their child’s sexual behavior, and the potential resulting skew arising from these issues in adolescent HIV research.
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #6: Explore and promote the development of co-endorsed protocols or adolescent sub-studies. Consider addressing this objective through increased communications with the DAIDS Prevention Sciences Review Committee (PSRC).
Youth Prevention Research Working Group Objective #7: Ensure an ongoing dialogue between working group members and relevant stakeholders through regular review of working group projects, priorities, and objectives.