Maryann Abbott
Research Associate, Project Protect
860-278-2044 ext. 286
maryann.abbott@icrweb.org

Maryann Abbott is the Project Coordinator for Project Protect: Microbicide Acceptability to Prevent HIV in High-Risk Women at the Institute for Community Research (ICR). Prior to her work on Project Protect, Maryann worked as an ethnographer on Project COPE (Community Outreach Prevention Effort COPE III - Longitudinal Study of AIDS Risk Among Injection Drug Users). Her research experience includes interviewing and ethnographic observation of risk behavior among youth and commercial sex workers in the judicial system of Long Beach, California.

An alternate member of ICR's Institutional Review Board, Maryann is also an active member of the Connecticut Chapter of Microbicides Now!, the Connecticut Chapter of the Global Campaign for Microbicides and a legislative liaison to the Connecticut Women's Health Campaign. She holds a B.A. from the University of Connecticut, and a M.A. in Anthropology from California State University, Long Beach.

Education
1981 B.A., Anthropology, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
1992 M.A., Anthropology, California State University, Long Beach, CA

Employment
1999-present

Research Associate, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
1987-1989

Post-Employment Clerk and Team Leader, Security Investigations Department, McDonnell Douglas Aircraft, Long Beach, CA.
1987

System Interviewer, California State University, Long Beach, CA.
1985-1986

Administrator, Jay B. Cohn, MD, PH.D., JD., Long Beach, CA.
1983-1984

Research Coordinator, Psychopharmacology Research Institute, Irvine, CA.

Other Experience and Professional Memberships
1999-present

Legislative Liaison, The Permanent Commission on the Status of Women, Hartford, CT

2000-present

The Society for Applied Anthropology

2000-2001

The American Anthropological Association

2001-present

Microbicides Now (Microbicide development advocacy group)
2001-present

Hartford Harm Reduction Coalition

2002

Alliance for Microbicide Development 6th Meeting, Washington, DC
2002-present

Institutional Review Board (Alternate Member), Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT.

Research Support

Ongoing Research Support

Microbicide Acceptability to Prevent HIV in High-Risk Women

Role: Project Coordinator
The goal of this study is to explore with women at high risk of exposure to HIV and other STIs their level of preparedness for microbicidal products, the personal, socio-cultural, contextual factors that affect their willingness to try or to adopt such methods, and their reasons for choosing among alternative approaches to reducing STIs including HIV. (1 R01 MH63631 Weeks (PI) 10/1/00-8/31/03), NIMH .

Female Condom Use as Predictor of Microbicide Readiness

Role: Project Coordinator
This supplemental grant to the "Microbicide Acceptability to Prevent HIV in High-Risk Women" (1 R01 MH63631: PIWeeks), uses a combination of qualitative and quantitative methodologies to study adoption/rejection of female condom use in high-risk women. The aims of the supplement are to: 1) explore factors related to female condom awareness, use and adoption; explore factors in the diffusion of innovative, women-controlled HIV/STI prevention approaches through networks and communities of high-risk women, and barriers to that diffusion; and 3) assess the willingness of high-risk women and male partners of high-risk women to participate in and comply with protocols of a short-term trial of female condoms in regular sexual activity with primary, casual and paid partners. (Supplement to 1 R01 MH63631 Weeks (PI) 9/01/02-8/31/03), NIMH

Completed Research

Supplement to the Longitudinal Study of AIDS Risk Among Drug Users

Role: Ethnographer
The aim of this study was to document participants' perspectives on what it is like to live with HIV and the impact that condition has on their relationships, illegal drug use, sex and drug related risk behavior, conception of HIV and of self, and religious beliefs and practices. (U01 DA07284 Singer (PI) 1/1/98-12/31/0), NIDA

Selected Presentations
Abbott, M., Rohena, L., Singer, M., Weeks, M.R. (2000, April). Drug users in the community outreach prevention effort (COPE) react to positive HIV testing results. Poster presented at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) Science Day, New Haven, CT.

Abbott, M., Rohena, L., Singer, M., Weeks, M.R. (2000, October). How drug users in the community outreach prevention effort (COPE) respond to positive HIV test results: implications for HIV counseling. Paper presented at ProVisons VII, The Northeast Regional Multicultural Conference on HIV/AIDS, Hartford, CT.

Abbott, M. Rohena, L., Singer, M., Weeks, M.R. (2001, March). In their own words: conversations with drug-using women about their lives and experiences with HIV. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The Society for Applied Anthropology, Merida, Mexico.

Abbott, M., Weeks, M.R., Martinez, M. (2002, March). Vaginal microbicides for HIV prevention: will they be viable for women in vulnerable situations. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The Society for Applied Anthropology, Atlanta, GA.

Abbott, M., Weeks, M.R., Sylla, L., Schensul, J., Prince, M., Valdes, B., Martinez, R. (2002, May). Microbicide acceptability and readiness among high-risk urban U.S. women. Poster presented at the Microbicides 2002 International Conference, Antwerpe, Belgium.

Abbott, M., Weeks, M.R., Sylla, L. (2002, June). Women controlled HIV prevention: Microbicide 2002 conference update. Paper presented at The Hartford HIV Forum, Hartford, CT.

Abbott, M., Mosack, K., Weeks, M.R., Sylla, L. (2003, April). A microbicide simulation trial study among high-risk urban women. Paper presented at the annual meeting of The Society for Applied Anthropology, Portland, OR.

Abbott, M., Mosack, K., Weeks, M.R., Sylla, L. (2003, April). The advent of female-controlled HIV prevention methods and women's willingness to try vaginal microbicides. Paper presented at the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) Science Day, New Haven, CT.