About
The UNC CFAR Social and Behavioral Science Research Core seeks to facilitate and support new collaborative HIV-related research that is interdisciplinary and inter-institutional. We provide: 
-Services and resources to support biomedical and social science researchers interested in exploring social, psychological, and structural factors affecting the HIV epidemic; and
-Scientific leadership, mentorship, and networking opportunities to junior faculty, international investigators, and scholars new to HIV research or from traditionally minority institutions.
Examples of services and support include assistance in the planning, development, and study design of research projects; survey development and programming; and data collection and analysis.
We also provide training in Motivational Interviewing, Cognitive Interviewing, and data collection methods. Additional information is available on our Services tab.
Resources include our open source training materials; and the Social and Behavioral Instruments (SABI) database, an online, searchable, user-friendly database that enables researchers to search for instruments and scales to measure constructs relevant to social and behavioral HIV research. Additional information is available on our Resources tab.
The Core regularly hosts networking events and maintains a directory of social and behavioral researchers at UNC, FHI 360, and RTI International to promote networking and new collaborations in HIV research. Please see the Events tab or contact Eunice Okumu, Core Manager, for more information.
This Core Supports the UNC CFAR Office of Bioethics
CONTACT
For more information about the Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Core, contact the Core Manager, Eunice Okumu via email or at (919) 843-2532.
Carol E Golin, M.D.
Core Director
Dr. Carol Golin is an Associate Professor in the Department of Health Behavior and Health Education in the UNC School of Public Health and the Division of General Medicine and Epidemiology in UNC Department of Medicine. Dr. Golin is an experienced health services and behavioral researcher. She has been Principal Investigator and co-investigator of numerous federally funded studies of antiretroviral (ART) adherence and HIV prevention, including trials of the SAFETALK, STAR, and PACT interventions as well as the ADEPT cohort and the HIV Costs and Services Utilization Study (HCSUS). Dr. Golin has expertise in developing theory-based health behavior interventions, particularly incorporating Motivational Interviewing, and in conducting formative research to inform behavioral intervention development. She has been actively involved in developing and testing new ways to measure ART adherence.
725 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
CB# 7590 Chapel Hill, NC
Carol_Golin@med.unc.edu
Fax: 919-966-3811
Office Phone: 919-966-7939
Vivian Go, Ph.D.
Core Co-Director
Dr. Vivian Go (Professor, Health Behavior) is a social epidemiologist and implementation scientist with over 20 years of experience in the design and evaluation of HIV interventions among people who inject drugs and MSM in Vietnam. She specializes in mixed methods research. She is currently PI of two NIH-funded R01 implementation science trials, one to scale-up a systems navigation and psychosocial counseling intervention to increase engagement of HIV-infected PWID into HIV care in Vietnam, and one to develop and implement a service delivery plan for evidence-based interventions that can be scaled-up as a community-based response to the opioid epidemic in rural Ohio.
363 Rosenau Hall CB# 7440
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
vgo@live.unc.edu
William Zule, Dr.P.H.
Core Associate Director
Dr. William Zule is a Senior Health Research Analyst and Senior Fellow at RTI. He has been conducting ethnographic, epidemiologic, and prevention intervention research related to HIV among people who use injected or non-injected drugs since 1989. As a leading expert in these fields, he has been a Principal Investigator, Project Director, and ethnographer on multiple largescale HIV epidemiologic projects, such as his current project- Pilot Test of an Intervention to Change Syringes Used by Injecting Drug Users. He has extensive experience in substance abuse research, developing and integrating biomedical and behavioral interventions, and translating research into practice through implementation studies. In addition to his research, Dr. Zule also serves on the board of directors of the North Carolina Harm Reduction Association.
3040 East Cornwallis Rd. P.O. Box 12194
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194
zule@rti.org
Office Phone: 919-485-2797
Felicia Browne, Sc.D., M.P.H.
Core Assistant Director
Dr. Felicia Browne is a Senior Research Social Epidemiologist at RTI International and an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the Department of Health Behavior at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Her research areas include the use of mixed methods in the adaptation and evaluation of multilevel HIV risk-reduction interventions for key populations who use alcohol and other drugs, mobile health (mHealth) technology, stigma, and understanding and addressing the social determinants of HIV, with a focus on health disparities and gender. Currently, she serves as an MPI on two NIDA-funded R01 projects. One study reached young African American women to test the mHealth delivery of an HIV risk-reduction intervention in collaboration with NC health departments. The other, based in South Africa, aims to use a status-neutral approach and implement a multi-level intervention to increase ART/PrEP uptake for young couples. Dr. Browne also has a NIDA-funded R21 project to address intersectional drug stigma to increase engagement and retention in HIV prevention and care for African American adults who use drugs.
RTI International
3040 East Cornwallis Road
Research Triangle Park, NC 27709-2194
Office Phone: 919-541-6596 | Email: fbrowne@rti.org
Eunice Okumu, M.P.H.
Core Manager
Eunice Okumu is the Social and Behavioral Sciences Research Core Manager and oversees the day-to-day functioning of the Core. She provides consultations to HIV investigators on intervention design, survey development and programming, qualitative data collection methods and analysis, and results dissemination. She brings extensive project management and analysis experience, including practical hands-on research experience in Kenya and United States. Her passion for public health and HIV/AIDS began during her formative years at Kenya Medical Research Institute (KEMRI) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) in Kenya where she worked with researchers implementing studies including an HIV incidence cohort study. She later coordinated the LinCS (Linking Communities and Scientists) 2 Durham HIV prevention project survey at North Carolina Central University, before joining FHI 360 as a Research Associate providing project management and technical support for several studies including ART adherence studies in South Africa, Implementation Science projects in Ecuador and Peru, and Social and Behavior Change Communication (SBCC) projects in Uganda and Tanzania.
313 Rosenau Hall CB# 7440
Chapel Hill, NC
eunice_okumu@med.unc.edu
Phone: 919-843-2532
Fax: 919-966-2921
David Rosen, M.D., Ph.D.
Epidemiology and Prison Database Project Specialist
Dr. David Rosen is an Assistant Professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases in the UNC School of Medicine. Much of Dr. Rosen’s research focuses on the intersection between incarceration and public health. Substantively, his research includes broad assessments of disease prevalence and use of healthcare and mortality among prison-involved populations. He has also conducted several studies examining the use of health services among HIV-infected prisoners and released prisoners. Methodologically, most of Dr. Rosen’s research utilizes the linkage and analysis of large administrative databases to address questions of public health significance for correctional populations and the communities to which they return.
130 Mason Farm Road CB #7030
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
drosen@med.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-0752
Seth Noar, Ph.D.
Health Communication Specialist
Dr. Seth M. Noar is a Professor in the School of Journalism and Mass Communication at the UNC – Chapel Hill. His work addresses health communication – specifically health behavior theories, message design and mass media campaigns, and eHealth applications. Dr. Noar has been an Investigator on several NIH-funded studies testing health communication strategies for health promotion and disease prevention, with a significant focus on both HIV and cancer prevention. In 2014, Dr. Noar was recognized by Thomson Reuters as among the top 1% most cited researchers in the social sciences.
Carroll Hall
noar@email.unc.edu
Phone: 919-962-4075
Fax:919-962-0620
Steve Bradley-Bull, M.A., M.Ed.
Motivational Interviewing Specialist
Steve Bradley-Bull has expertise in developing health behavior interventions, primarily focused on the use of Motivational Interviewing. He has conducted numerous MI sessions (including with incarcerated individuals living with HIV and who were about to be released), trained practitioners in how to conduct MI sessions, developed MI training curricula, created intervention materials for MI sessions, designed process evaluation instruments, and completed MITI coding. Steve holds a Masters of Education in Counseling and is a member of the Motivational Interviewing Network of Trainers (MINT).
130 Mason Farm Road CB #7030
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
steve_bradley-bull@med.unc.edu
Phone: 919-812-9203
Stuart Rennie, Ph.D., M.A.
Biomedical Ethics Specialist
Dr. Stuart Rennie is an Associate Professor in the Department of Social Medicine and Core Faculty in the UNC Bioethics Centre. He helps run two NIH-funded bioethics training programs in Cape Town (South Africa) and Kinshasa (DR Congo), and has written extensively about the ethical issues in HIV research, treatment, prevention, surveillance and cure, mostly focused on low-income settings in Southern Africa.
333A McNider Hall
CB# 7240
Chapel Hill, NC 27599
stuart_rennie@med.unc.ed
(919) 966-3113
Wendi Seiler
Administrative Assistant
As the Administrative Assistant for Core G, Wendi provides administrative support to ensure efficient operation of the Core. She supports both the Manager and Director in relation to organization and communication. She brings over 20 years of experience to CFAR in this support role.
Sable Watson, M.P.H.
Graduate Research Assistant
Sable N. Watson, MPH is a PhD student in the Department of Health Behavior at the UNC School of Public Health. As a Graduate Research Assistant for the Core, Sable assists with a variety of projects at CFAR, with an emphasis on survey design and qualitative analysis. She also plays an active role in the upkeep of CFAR’s Social and Behavioral Instruments database. Her research interests include HIV/STI prevention and management as well as aging with HIV.
Maria Esposito
Graduate Research Assistant
Maria is a second-year MPH student in the Global Health concentration at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. Before starting her MPH, Maria conducted and contributed to research projects on global and local reproductive health issues, worked on USAID reproductive health projects, and volunteered at a menstrual equity non-profit. As a research assistant for CFAR, Maria provides support on qualitative studies. Her research interests are in menstrual health, contraceptive decision-making, and HIV care.
Matt Zinck
Graduate Research Assistant
Maria Matt Zinck is a second-year MPH student in the Global Health concentration at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health. As a Graduate Research Assistant for the Core, Matt supports qualitative studies. Previously at the Behavior and Technology Lab, he used qualitative methods on mHealth studies focused on HIV, STI, and other sexual health services for sexual and gender minority youth across the US. Prior to graduate school, Matt worked for 5 years for global health organizations designing, implementing, and managing USAID and CDC projects. His professional and research interests include HIV programs, LGBTQIA+ health, and digital health.
Services
Research Proposal Assistance
• Grant proposal review and development, including guidance on study design
• Development of analysis plans
• Preliminary data analysis
• Letters of support
Training
• Motivational Interviewing training. For more information about MI and the services we offer, check out our MI Menu and MI Blog.
• Quantitative data collection training
• Qualitative data collection training
Intervention Development and Process Evaluation
• Theoretical model for intervention development
• Intervention protocol development
• Intervention content and materials development
• Process Evaluation Development
Qualitative Research Services
• Qualitative study design and sample size consultation
• Qualitative guide development support
• Qualitative Data Collection (interviews, cognitive interviewing, or focus groups)
• Qualitative Interview Audio Transcription
• Data Analysis (Coding only)
• Data Analysis and Synthesis
• Abstract Preparation
• For additional information about our services related to qualitative research, please see our menu.
Quantitative Research
• Questionnaire/survey design and development
• Scale development consultation
• Electronic survey programming
• Quantitative data collection support
• Use the Social and Behavioral Instrument (SABI) database
Manuscript Preparation
• Reviews, edits, and feedback on manuscript drafts
• Assistance selecting target academic journals
• Assistance with manuscript formatting
• Guidance for submission to academic journals
• Manuscript writing
Mentoring and Networking
• Connection to collaborator(s)
• Mentorship
• Other
Content Area Expert Consultation/Services
• Criminal justice related-recruitment and retention of incarcerated populations
• Criminal justice related-access to large administrative databases to answer research questions related to CJ and HIV
• Criminal justice related–other
• Ethics and/or Regulatory
• Motivational Interviewing
• Implementation Science
For more information about services or to request a service, please use the red service request button at the top of this website. *Please note: Most of these services do not carry a charge for an initial 1-2 hour consultation. Subsequent fees, or percent effort, are determined from the estimated scope of work.
Upcoming Events
No upcoming events at this time.
Past Events
Spring 2022 Networking event, May 11, 2022: The Political Determinants and Ethical Implications of American Pandemic Responses.
This event included a panel of outstanding experts from diverse areas examining the intersection between human rights and public health, including law, anthropology, public policy, public health, and nursing. Our esteemed panelists included:
A recording of the event can be accessed here: https://uncch.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=e724afec-198d-4e26-ae90-ae9a01506454
Fall Networking Event
Friday, Nov. 2, 2018, 9:45 – 11:15 a.m., Bioinformatics 1131
The Social and Behavioral Science Core is hosting Seth M. Noar, PhD, a professor in the UNC School of Media and Journalism and a member of the UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center. His work addresses health behavior theories, message design and mass media campaigns, and eHealth applications. Dr. Noar has published more than 175 articles and chapters in a wide range of outlets in the social, behavioral, health, and communication sciences, and he serves on the editorial boards of several leading communication journals. Dr. Noar has been an investigator on several NIH-funded studies testing health communication strategies for health promotion and disease prevention. He is the co-editor of two books, most recently “eHealth Applications: Promising Strategies for Behavior Change,” published by Routledge. Dr. Noar was recognized by Thomson Reuters and Clarivate Analytics as being in the top 1% most cited researchers in the social sciences in 2014 and again in 2018. In 2016, Dr. Noar received the Lewis Donohew and National Communication Association outstanding health communication scholar awards, and in 2017 he received the American Public Health Association’s Mayhew Derryberry Research award.
**If you missed this event, watch the recording here**
Spring 2015 Networking Event: “The Science of Community Engagement: Part I”
Tuesday, May 3, 2016, 11:30am-1:00pm; Pagano Conference Room, Lineberger Cancer Center The SBSRC hosts a networking event each semester, usually geared around a theme to provide a forum for multidisciplinary researchers to meet and network with each other. At the Spring 2015 Networking Event, participants learned more about how community engagement can create increased support and collaboration for clinical and public health research. This event covered how to implement essential community engagement principles at various stages of research by providing successful research study examples.
Dr. Christopher Hurt, Dr. Allison Mathews, Caressa White, and Dr. Carol Golin spoke about essential community engagement principals and illustrated evidence-based practices for initiating community engagement at various stages in the research process. The CFAR SBSRC seeks to stimulate and promote new research and support ongoing collaborative HIV-related social and behavioral research at UNC, FHI, RTI, and other related institutions.
“Motivational Interviewing for Public Health Professionals: A Person-Centered Approach to Achieve Healthier Outcomes”
February 17, 2016, 1:00-2:30pm; Virtual During the presentation, participants learn the fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing and how to apply it in a variety of public health settings. This webinar was hosted by the Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) featuring presenters from the Social and Behavioral Science Core.
Fall 2015 Networking Event: “Building and Sustaining Partnerships between Researchers and Community Based Organizations (CBOs)”
November 19, 2015, 12-1:30pm; Room 508, Koury School of Dentistry At this lunch-and-learn event, guest speakers Dr. Geni Eng, Dr. Jennifer Schaal, and Ms. Neda Pedilla provided strategies for engaging community partners to strengthen research and improve the health of populations most at need using the “Greensboro Health Disparities Collaborative” as an example of a successful researcher-CBO partnership. 
Spring 2015 Networking Event: “Meet the Core”
May 1, 2015, 12-1:30pm; Pagano Conference Room, Lineberger Cancer Center This event provided an opportunity for researchers from UNC, RTI, FHI 360, and other institutions to learn more about the services that our core offers and to meet and mingle with colleagues!
Charlotte AHEC 2-Day Motivational Interviewing Workshop
Motivational Interviewing and Medication Adherence: A Person-Centered Approach to Achieve Healthier Outcomes March 10-11, 2015; Charlotte AHEC This two-day workshop focused on learning the fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing and how to apply it specifically to medication adherence in a variety of settings and with diverse individuals. Instructors: Dr. Carol Golin, Dr. Kemi Amola, and Steve Bradley-Bull
i-Engage Motivational Interviewing Booster Training
February 5-6, 2015; University of Alabama at Birmingham This two-day training for iEngage clinicians from 4 sites across the United States featured a review of motivational interviewing skills and discussions about the successes and challenges of MI in practice. Using skill building exercises, videos, demonstrations, role plays, and discussions, the clinicians left with a better understanding of MI and how to more effectively conduct MI sessions with their clients.
CFAR World AIDS Day 2014
The Social and Behavioral Science Core, in partnership with the Criminal Justice WorkingGroup, organized and presented an afternoon session on “HIV and Criminal Justice: Thinking Inside and Outside the Box.” Dr. Robert Fullilove discussed the interconnected epidemics of HIV and mass incarceration and the potential of people considered “the problem” to, in fact, be an underutilized, inspiring solution; Dr. Becky White introduced the nature of HIV and the North Carolina prison system; and Dr. Carol Golin spoke about the research history of the Criminal Justice Working Group. This was followed by a moderated discussion among stakeholders including representatives from the state prison system, jail system, academia, mental health advocacy, and harm reduction advocacy sector. Watch the session here.
CHAI Core e-Intervention Workshop
CFAR Social and Behavioral Science Core Director Dr. Carol Golin presented on “Texting for Health after Prison Release: Lessons Learned from Project imPACT for Prisoners Living with HIV” as part of CHAI Core’s October eIntervention Workshop. Attendees learned about form v. function of mobile interventions and various applications of technology to health dilemmas. Dr. Golin spoke about the use of SMS to increase ART adherence in recently released prisoners, who could customize their own inspirational or reminder messages.
Fall 2014 Implementation Science Networking Event
Exemplifying its commitment to stimulate and promote new HIV-related research at UNC, FHI, and RTI, the SBS Core hosted a Fall networking event for multidisciplinary researchers to discuss integrating Implementation Science in to HIV research. Bryan Weiner (UNC), Catherine Rohweder (UNC), Oscar Fleming (National Implementation Research Network, Triangle Implementation Group), and Theresa Hoke (FHI 360) shared their expertise and insight with a crowd of over forty researchers, students, and others in the field of public health. In addition to discussion with panelists, all guests networked with other professionals and discovered resources for incorporating implementation science into their work. Presentations are available here.
Technology Symposium
To view the videos from our inaugural technology symposium, please visit our YouTube link.
Presentations/Webinars
Please listen to our most recent webinar on the Introduction to the Social and Behavioral Instruments (SABI) Database: A One Stop Shop for Valid and Reliable HIV Measures to learn more about how the SABI database was created and to see a live demo on how to use SABI.
Past Webinars
Fundamentals of Motivational Interviewing – click here for the slides about Motivational Interviewing and how to apply it in a variety of public health settings.
TRAININGS
The Social and Behavioral Sciences Core holds regular trainings for research professionals. Please access our open source training materials here.
SABI DATABASE
The Social and Behavioral Instruments (SABI) Database is a user-friendly database of instruments (also called measures or scales) measuring social and behavioral constructs relevant to HIV research that researchers can use to find and compare measures. The database presents a comprehensive list of instruments have been used to measure certain domains in HIV research. To use the SABI database, please visit our website.
JOURNAL SELECTION DATABASE
This database includes information about the journals most frequently publishing UNC CFAR-assisted articles. This information can be used to 1) assist researchers in selecting a target journal for their manuscripts, and 2) provide researchers with an overview of journal submission requirements. Data include a description of the journal, impact factor, acceptance rate, length limitations, costs associated with submission and publishing, details about formatting requirements, and supplementary materials required for submission. In addition to the Journal Selection Database available here, the CFAR Social and Behavioral Sciences Core also offers in-person consultation services to supplement online resources. If you are interested in additional guidance regarding journal selection, please request this service here.
PUBLICATIONS
