Greg Rosen, MSPH Candidate

International Health, Social & Behavioral Interventions Program

MSPH Practicum Topic

Title: Qualitative research coordination and analysis with the Rakai Health Sciences Program in Kalisizo, Uganda

For my master's practicum I provided technical assistance, including analysis and dissemination of findings, for various qualitative studies focused on socio-behavioral aspects of engagement along the HIV continuum of prevention, care, and treatment.

My work primarily focused on an acceptability study investigating attitudes and willingness to use pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), among key populations (fishermen, sex workers) in rural fishing communities as well as preferences for intervention modalities to deliver PrEP in this setting. The findings helped inform modifications of the intervention's strategies used in an ongoing PrEP implementation project in a large fishing community on Lake Victoria, which is funded by CDC and PEPFAR.

After graduation

I'll be a Strategic Information Fellow in the Office of HIV/AIDS at USAID. The skills I learned during my practicum will be very relevant. I'll be working with the Strategic Information, Evaluation and Informatics Division to perform service- and cost-effectiveness analysis of PEPFAR-funded programs worldwide. Part of my job will be communicating with field teams to improve health information system architecture for end-users and translate evaluation findings for project implementers, policymakers, and donor communities in global HIV control.