Sylvie Naar

Research topics

Matched from this investigator's NIH project titles and abstracts.

• Health Disparities in Mental Health
• Learning and Memory
• Human Factors and Attention
• Cognitive Aging

Active NIH awards

• Scaling Up Implementation Strategies to Improve the DIAGNOSE and PREVENT Pillars for Young MSM in Florida

  5R01MH132147-04

  NIMH · FY 2025 · $1000K

  This project will launch a Florida wide effort to promote the delivery of developmentally sensitive and evidence-based DIAGNOSE and PREVENT counseling testing and referral services (CTR) for young men who have sex with men (YMSM). The goal is to leverage implementation science strategies to improve the capacity of the HIV HealthForce to deliver evidence-based practices (risk reduction counseling, PrEP referral and motivational interviewing) within CTR services. Our recent YMSM Mystery Shoppers studies conducted at CTR sites in three cities indicated that providers are woefully unprepared or do not know how to deliver developmentally appropriate, CTR services to YMSM and miss opportunities to deliver these evidence-based practices. Mystery Shopper is a quality management strategy to monitor implementation fidelity to developmentally responsive EBPs in CTR settings. However, assessment and feedback alone are insufficient to improve fidelity; the HealthForce must be properly trained and given technical assistance. We propose integrating two implementation strategies: quality management Mystery Shoppers and HealthForce training in developmentally tailored motivational interviewing with centralized technical assistance. We will test Young Adult Centered HealthForce Training (YACHT) package in Florida’s EHE counties among the Department of Health’s 42 contracted sites who delivered CTR to at least 24 young MSM in the previous 12 months using a Stepped Wedge design. We power on both effectiveness outcomes (# of tests of YMSM) and implementation outcomes (EBP fidelity based on Mystery Shopper Assessments) consistent with a Type 2 Hybrid trial.

• Transforming Community Health with Disruptive Innovations

  5R01MD017404-05

  NIMHD · FY 2025 · $588K

  Contextual factors create significant health disparities in prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of the comorbid physical and mental health conditions that are typically managed in primary care settings. The current NIH Director’s unified strategy calls for moving beyond documenting such disparities to focus on a solution-oriented approach. There are shockingly few evidence-based interventions to address such contextual factors. New paradigms are needed to intervene on, and not just document, health disparities in primary care where behavioral health is managed. We propose to develop and test a transformative paradigm for translating basic behavioral and social science into new interventions to improve health disparities in primary care settings. The proposed paradigm is the first of its kind to integrate community-based participatory research, systems science, diffusion of innovation theory, and item response theory, leveraging an established framework of early phase translational behavioral and social science to rigorously define new strategies to address contextual factors within complex health systems and rigorously develop measures to assess impact. Addressing contextual factors in integrated primary care systems in the United States is an innovation that can be rigorously mapped using community-engaged systems science methods. This map identifies “inflection points” likely to result in the most impactful intervention targets, and then established pathways can be used to translate fundamental behavioral and social science discoveries into new interventions at these points. Systems science modeling can then simulate potential interventions and produce mathematical standards for intervention efficacy in future trials. This transformative paradigm will also detail innovative methods to develop efficient and effective measurement tools to ensure scientifically valid, measurable health outcomes as delineated in the unified strategy.

• Methods for Early Phase Translation of Basic Science into Behavioral Treatments to Improve Health

  5R25CA244065-04

  NCI · FY 2025 · $175K

  To strengthen behavioral interventions for improve health, as in cancer prevention and treatment, and increase their dissemination into clinical practice, what is needed is: (1) more attention to phased T1 translation from basic behavioral and social sciences research to applied behavioral intervention development; and (2) more focus on early-phase treatment development by promoting the use of new and innovative methodologies to answer commonly asked questions about basic treatment design. This skills development course aims to train 100 intervention scientists (Fellows) at any academic rank but who have an interest in behavioral treatment development to target cancer and related health behaviors. Training will take place over 6 months including a 3-day workshop followed by biweekly webinars with 25 Fellows per session. Learning will be multi-directional and will feature didactic, interactive, and applied teaching techniques. A train-the-trainer model is integrated throughout the course. Optional follow-up activities include consultation and mentoring with faculty. The curriculum will be offered by expert faculty who will teach a phased approach to intervention development, new and innovative methods that are well-suited to answer common questions that arise during health behavior treatment development. Among the methodologies are dose-finding methods, mixed methods to maximize ecological validity of treatments, approaches for small samples, tailoring and adaptive treatments, and methods to determine the timing and choice of appropriate control groups. The Specific Aims of the course are: 1) To successfully recruit and train 100 Fellows dedicated to behavioral interventions relevant for cancer prevention/treatment and related health behaviors over the 4-year grant period (25 Fellows per year); 2) To increase the skills of Fellows in a phased approach, with associated innovative methods and designs for T1 translation of BSSR. 3) To conduct an ongoing evaluation of the success of the skills development course based upon three basic metrics: (a) perceived value; (b) the reach of the course based upon website hits, number of applications, and train the trainer activities; and (c) the impact of the course on the career trajectories of the Fellows (publications, grants). 4) To conduct ongoing curriculum development and refinement, as well as dissemination via technology, based upon results of quantitative and qualitative evaluations and new methodologies emerging over the grant period.

• Precision HIV Prevention: Piloting a youth learning health community

  5R21MH137736-02

  NIMH · FY 2025 · $162K

  Despite the substantial declines in HIV transmission achieved over the past decade, the full benefits of available tools and interventions have yet to be realized in youth. This is due to the inadequate implementation of efficacious interventions tailored in partnership with youth. The proposed approach to optimizing intervention implementation is the integration of data science, implementation science, and the science of engagement into a Youth Learning Health Community (Y-LHC). Florida is suffering from a severe HIV epidemic and ranks second in the number of End the Epidemic jurisdictions (n=7). In Florida, as well as nationally, emerging adults continue to be overrepresented among new HIV cases in youth. In North Florida, considered the Deep South, there are 10 counties with high HIV prevalence, but they have much fewer resources and much less research activity than counties in South and Central Florida. Thus, addressing implementation of evidence-based interventions along the youth prevention continuum in North Florida is highly significant. Our proposed approach will be a model of translational behavioral science with community-engaged systems science to develop a Y-LHC in North Florida using data from OneFlorida+ Data Trust, a clinical research consortium of 11 health systems in Florida. Aim 1 is to define implementation strategies using community-engaged system science methods for youth in North Florida (R21 phase). Aim 2 is to conduct simulations of selected strategies to refine for feasibility and greatest impact (R21 phase) Aim 3 is to conduct proof of concept (POC) study of collaboratively selected strategies on feasible, pragmatic outcome measures (R33) using a pre-post mixed methods approach with additional simulations of strategy effect. This project will not only pave the way for multisite pragmatic trials to address the Diagnose and Prevent pillars of the End the Epidemic initiative for youth as a key population but will also test a transformative framework for translating community-engaged systems science into new implementation strategies with pragmatic outcomes.

• Scaling Up Implementation Strategies to Improve the DIAGNOSE and PREVENT Pillars for Young MSM in Florida

  5R01MH132147-03

  NIMH · FY 2024 · $1.1M

  Abstract This project will launch a Florida wide effort to promote the delivery of developmentally sensitive, culturally appropriate and evidence-based DIAGNOSE and PREVENT counseling testing and referral services (CTR) for young men who have sex with men (YMSM). The goal is to leverage implementation science strategies to improve the capacity of the HIV HealthForce to deliver evidence-based practices (risk reduction counseling, PrEP referral and Tailored Motivational Interviewing) within CTR services. Our recent YMSM Mystery Shoppers studies conducted at CTR sites in three cities indicated that providers are woefully unprepared or do not know how to deliver developmentally appropriate, culturally competent CTR services to YMSM and miss opportunities to deliver these evidence-based practices. Mystery Shopper is a quality management strategy to monitor implementation fidelity to culturally and developmentally responsive EBPs in CTR settings. However, assessment and feedback alone are insufficient to improve fidelity; the HealthForce must be properly trained and given technical assistance. We propose integrating two implementation strategies: quality management Mystery Shoppers and HealthForce training in Tailored Motivational Interviewing with centralized technical assistance. We will test Young Adult Centered HealthForce Training (YACHT) package in Florida’s seven EHE counties among the Department of Health’s 42 contracted sites who delivered CTR to at least 24 young MSM in the previous 12 months using a Stepped Wedge design. We power on both effectiveness outcomes (# of tests of YMSM) and implementation outcomes (EBP fidelity based on Mystery Shopper Assessments) consistent with a Type 2 Hybrid trial.

• Precision HIV Prevention: Piloting a youth learning health community

  1R21MH137736-01

  NIMH · FY 2024 · $184K

  Despite the substantial declines in HIV transmission achieved over the past decade, the full benefits of available tools and interventions have yet to be realized in youth. This disparity is in large part due to the inadequate implementation of efficacious interventions tailored in partnership with youth. The proposed approach to optimizing intervention implementation is the integration of data science, implementation science, and the science of engagement into a Youth Learning Health Community (Y-LHC). Florida is suffering from a severe HIV epidemic, and ranks second in the number of End the Epidemic jurisdictions (n=7). In Florida, as well as nationally, emerging adults continue to be overrepresented among new HIV cases in youth. In North Florida, considered the Deep South, there are 10 counties with high HIV prevalence but they have much fewer resources and much less research activity than counties in South and Central Florida. Thus, addressing implementation of evidence-based interventions along the youth prevention continuum in North Florida is highly significant. Our proposed approach will a model of translational behavioral science with with community-engaged systems science to develop a Y-LHC in North Florida using data from OneFlorida+ Data Trust, a clinical research consortium of 11 health systems in Florida. Aim 1 is to define implementation strategies using community-engaged system science methods for youth in North Florida (R21 phase). Aim 2 is to conduct simulations of selected strategies to refine for feasibility and greatest impact (R21 phase) Aim 3 is to conduct proof of concept (POC) study of collaboratively selected strategies on feasible, pragmatic outcome measures (R33) using a pre-post mixed methods approach with additional simulations of strategy effect. This project will not only pave the way for multisite pragmatic trials to address the Diagnose and Prevent pillars of the End the Epidemic initiative for youth as a key population but will also test a transformative framework for translating community-engaged systems science into new implementation strategies with pragmatic outcomes.

• Methods for Early Phase Translation of Basic Science into Behavioral Treatments to Improve Health

  5R25CA244065-03

  NCI · FY 2024 · $151K

  PROJECT SUMMARY To strengthen behavioral interventions for improve health, as in cancer prevention and treatment, and increase their dissemination into clinical practice, what is needed is: (1) more attention to phased T1 translation from basic behavioral and social sciences research to applied behavioral intervention development; and (2) more focus on early-phase treatment development by promoting the use of new and innovative methodologies to answer commonly asked questions about basic treatment design. This skills development course aims to train 100 intervention scientists (Fellows) at any academic rank but who have an interest in behavioral treatment development to target cancer and related health behaviors. Training will take place over 6 months including a 3-day workshop followed by bi weekly webinars with 25 Fellows per session. Learning will be multi-directional and will feature didactic, interactive, and applied teaching techniques. A train-the-trainer model is integrated throughout the course. Optional follow-up activities include consultation and mentoring with faculty. The curriculum will be offered by expert faculty who will teach a phased approach to intervention development, new and innovative methods that are well-suited to answer common questions that arise during health behavior treatment development. Among the methodologies are dose-finding methods, mixed methods to maximize ecological validity of treatments, approaches for small samples, tailoring and adaptive treatments, and methods to determine the timing and choice of appropriate control groups. The Specific Aims of the course are: 1) To successfully recruit and train 100 Fellows dedicated to behavioral interventions relevant for cancer prevention/treatment and related health behaviors over the 4-year grant period, with substantial minority representation (25 Fellows per year); 2) To increase the skills of Fellows in a phased approach, with associated innovative methods and designs for T1 translation of BSSR. 3) To conduct an ongoing evaluation of the success of the skills development course based upon three basic metrics: (a) perceived value; (b) the reach of the course based upon website hits, number of applications, and train the trainer activities; and (c) the impact of the course on the career trajectories of the Fellows (publications, grants). 4) To conduct ongoing curriculum development and refinement, as well as dissemination via technology, based upon results of quantitative and qualitative evaluations and new methodologies emerging over the grant period.

• Scaling Up Implementation Strategies to Improve the DIAGNOSE and PREVENT Pillars for Young MSM in Florida

  5R01MH132147-02

  NIMH · FY 2023 · $1.0M

  Abstract This project will launch a Florida wide effort to promote the delivery of developmentally sensitive, culturally appropriate and evidence-based DIAGNOSE and PREVENT counseling testing and referral services (CTR) for young men who have sex with men (YMSM). The goal is to leverage implementation science strategies to improve the capacity of the HIV HealthForce to deliver evidence-based practices (risk reduction counseling, PrEP referral and Tailored Motivational Interviewing) within CTR services. Our recent YMSM Mystery Shoppers studies conducted at CTR sites in three cities indicated that providers are woefully unprepared or do not know how to deliver developmentally appropriate, culturally competent CTR services to YMSM and miss opportunities to deliver these evidence-based practices. Mystery Shopper is a quality management strategy to monitor implementation fidelity to culturally and developmentally responsive EBPs in CTR settings. However, assessment and feedback alone are insufficient to improve fidelity; the HealthForce must be properly trained and given technical assistance. We propose integrating two implementation strategies: quality management Mystery Shoppers and HealthForce training in Tailored Motivational Interviewing with centralized technical assistance. We will test Young Adult Centered HealthForce Training (YACHT) package in Florida’s seven EHE counties among the Department of Health’s 42 contracted sites who delivered CTR to at least 24 young MSM in the previous 12 months using a Stepped Wedge design. We power on both effectiveness outcomes (# of tests of YMSM) and implementation outcomes (EBP fidelity based on Mystery Shopper Assessments) consistent with a Type 2 Hybrid trial.

• Methods for Early Phase Translation of Basic Science into Behavioral Treatments to Improve Health

  5R25CA244065-02

  NCI · FY 2023 · $210K

  PROJECT SUMMARY To strengthen behavioral interventions for improve health, as in cancer prevention and treatment, and increase their dissemination into clinical practice, what is needed is: (1) more attention to phased T1 translation from basic behavioral and social sciences research to applied behavioral intervention development; and (2) more focus on early-phase treatment development by promoting the use of new and innovative methodologies to answer commonly asked questions about basic treatment design. This skills development course aims to train 100 intervention scientists (Fellows) at any academic rank but who have an interest in behavioral treatment development to target cancer and related health behaviors. Training will take place over 6 months including a 3-day workshop followed by bi weekly webinars with 25 Fellows per session. Learning will be multi-directional and will feature didactic, interactive, and applied teaching techniques. A train-the-trainer model is integrated throughout the course. Optional follow-up activities include consultation and mentoring with faculty. The curriculum will be offered by expert faculty who will teach a phased approach to intervention development, new and innovative methods that are well-suited to answer common questions that arise during health behavior treatment development. Among the methodologies are dose-finding methods, mixed methods to maximize ecological validity of treatments, approaches for small samples, tailoring and adaptive treatments, and methods to determine the timing and choice of appropriate control groups. The Specific Aims of the course are: 1) To successfully recruit and train 100 Fellows dedicated to behavioral interventions relevant for cancer prevention/treatment and related health behaviors over the 4-year grant period, with substantial minority representation (25 Fellows per year); 2) To increase the skills of Fellows in a phased approach, with associated innovative methods and designs for T1 translation of BSSR. 3) To conduct an ongoing evaluation of the success of the skills development course based upon three basic metrics: (a) perceived value; (b) the reach of the course based upon website hits, number of applications, and train the trainer activities; and (c) the impact of the course on the career trajectories of the Fellows (publications, grants). 4) To conduct ongoing curriculum development and refinement, as well as dissemination via technology, based upon results of quantitative and qualitative evaluations and new methodologies emerging over the grant period.

Earlier awards

• Transforming Health Equity Research in Integrated Primary Care: Antiracism as a Disruptive InnovationFY 2024 · $629K
• Transforming Health Equity Research in Integrated Primary Care: Antiracism as a Disruptive InnovationFY 2023 · $604K
• Transforming Health Equity Research in Integrated Primary Care: Antiracism as a Disruptive InnovationFY 2023 · $125K
• Understanding the impact of racism—a social determinant of health—on the scope of the co-occurrence of mental health and cardiometabolic challenges in high-disparity racial/ethnic minority populationsFY 2023 · $125K