Margaret R. Weeks, Ph.D.
Executive Director & Senior Scientist
Institute for Community Research
860-278-2044 ext. 229
mweeks@icrweb.org

Margaret R. Weeks, Ph.D. is a socio-cultural anthropologist, Executive Director and Senior Scientist of The Institute for Community Research in Hartford, Connecticut. The Institute is an independent non-profit organization that conducts research with community partners on health, education, and cultural expression. Dr. Weeks has significant experience in community-based, applied social science research and collaborative program development and administration. She has research expertise in substance abuse and AIDS, including issues of HIV prevention for drug users and their sex partners (particularly culturally targeted prevention for African Americans and Puerto Ricans), as well as expertise in women's health and gender issues both in the U.S. and China. As an applied social science researcher, since 1989 she has conducted studies of HIV/AIDS prevention among drug users and their sex partners, and evaluated AIDS prevention programs in collaboration with other community research and service organizations. She is currently conducting a community participatory intervention study to promote female condom use for HIV/STD prevention in Hartford. She recently completed a study to test a multi-level intervention to train active drug users as "Peer Health Advocates," who provide HIV prevention to their peers in high-risk drug-use settings in Hartford. The latter program is being prepared for translation and implementation in drug treatment centers. Dr. Weeks also has conducted research on the status of women in the People's Republic of China, and is currently conducting a multi-level intervention study of female condom use in sex work establishments in southern China.

Education:
1978 B.A., Anthropology State University of New York at Potsdam, NY
1980 M.A., Anthropology University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
1987 Ph.D., Anthropology University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT

Research Experience:
2011-2014: Co-Principal Investigator, IDU Peer Recruitment Dynamics and Network Structure in Respondent Driven Sampling, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project:  Study designed to understand factors that influence injection drug users’ peer recruitment intention decision making, dynamics of recruitment attempts, enrollment attrition and changes in influences over time as peer recruitment proceeds. (NIDA) (R01 DA031594)

2010-2013: Principal Investigator, Translation of the Risk Avoidance Partnership (RAP) for Drug Treatment Clinic Implementation, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project:  Study is to translate the Risk Avoidance Partnership (RAP), an efficacious community intervention designed to diffuse HIV/hepatitis/STI risk reduction through drug-user networks, for use in drug treatment clinics. (NIDA) (R01 DA030248)

2009-2012: Principal Investigator, Enhancing HIV Prevention Through Multi-level Community Intervention to Promote Women-Initiated Prevention Options, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study to increase the community availability, accessibility, and support for use of the female condom to reduce heterosexual transmission of HIV and other STI, by mobilizing and building the capacity of a body of key community agents, who will collectively develop, implement, and evaluate interventions conducted at the community, organizational, and individual levels to achieve the project goals.  (NIMH) (R01 MH084724)

2007-2012: Principal Investigator, High-risk Establishments and Women’s HIV Prevention in Southern China, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study of HIV risk and social dynamics in sex-work establishments; development and evaluation of multi-level, site-based intervention conducted within those establishments to promote use of the female condom for HIV/STD prevention among sex workers. Funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) (R01 MH077541).

1997-2012: Center for Interdisciplinary Research (CIRA) Community Research Core Associate Director (2008-2012) (Community Research Core Interim Director 2007-2008) and Interdisciplinary Research Methods Core Investigator (1997-2012). Yale University and Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: CIRA supports research on prevention of HIV infection and reduction of the negative consequences of HIV disease in vulnerable and underserved populations. The Community Research Core supports development, implementation, and translation of research within and in collaboration with communities. The Interdisciplinary Research Methods Core supports the integration and application of multiple, mixed, and interdisciplinary methods to the study or social, behavioral, and biological aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. Funded by the NIMH (P30MH062294, PI: P. Cleary).

2004-2009: Principal Investigator, Study of Sustained Safe Behavior (Female Condom Use) Among High Risk Women, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study to assess factors affecting the initial and sustained use of the female condom in high risk women, and the personal and relationship issues affecting high-risk couples in initiating and sustaining use of the female condom.  Funded by NIMH (R01 MH069088).

2006-2007: Principal Investigator, Supplement to Study of Sustained Safe Behavior (Female Condom Use) Among High Risk Women: Engaging Clinical Health Care Providers in Female Condom Promotion, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: This supplement explored clinical health care providers (CHCP) as community-level factor affecting FC use among high-risk women and men and the specific intrapersonal, social/cultural, and organizational factors that facilitate or impede CHCPs’ ability and/or willingness to promote FC use in this population.  Funded by NIMH (R01 MH069088-03S1).

2005-2009: Principal Investigator, Longitudinal Study of the RAP Peer Intervention for HIV Prevention, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study to assess the long-term behavioral effects of a peer-implemented HIV prevention program on trained active drug users and the drug-using contacts to whom they provide intervention, diffusion of the intervention and its effects through drug-user social networks and into drug use sites in Hartford, CT, and sustainability of peer-led HIV prevention intervention. Funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) (2R01 DA13356).

2005-2007: Co-Principal Investigator, National HIV Behavioral Surveillance: Injection Drug Users (2005); High Risk Heterosexuals (2006-2007), Institute for Community Research, Hartford
Project: Surveillance of injection drug user, heterosexual, and men who have sex with men for HIV risk and HIV prevention service utilization in the New Haven MSA, part of the national cooperative agreement for national HIV surveillance. PI: A. Roome. Funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

2001-2005: Principal Investigator, HIV Prevention in High Risk Drug Use Sites: Project RAP (Risk Avoidance Partnership) Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study to develop and test the efficacy and diffusion of a peer-led HIV prevention intervention implemented by trained active drug users in partnership with project staff and conducted in high risk drug use settings.  Funded by NIDA (1R01 DA13356).

2004-2006: Co-Principal Investigator, Housing Status/Stability and HIV Risk among Drug Users Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: The study used qualitative methods to study the links between housing policies, drug users’ access to housing, variations in housing status and housing options of drug users, and HIV risk. PI: J. Dickson-Gomez. Funded by NIDA (R21DA018607).

2003-2006: Principal Investigator, Microbicide/Female Condom Acceptability for Sex Workers in China, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: This study is conducted by an international research team from the Institute for Community Research in collaboration with Peking Union Medical College in Beijing, China to work in three mid-sized towns targeting female sex workers at high-risk of HIV/STDs.  The study examines women’s level of preparedness for using microbicide products and the female condom for HIV/STD prevention, the factors that affect their willingness to try or adopt such methods, and their reasons for choosing among alternative approaches to reducing STDs, including HIV.  Funded by NIMH Fogarty International Center (R03TW006302).

2000-2003: Principal Investigator, Microbicide Acceptability to Prevent HIV in High-Risk Women Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study to assess the readiness for and interest of high-risk women (drug users, sex workers, sex partners of drug users) in the use of microbicidal products for HIV prevention, including ethnographic and survey assessments.  Funded by NIMH (R01 MH63631).

2000-2003: Co-Principal Investigator, Effects of Partner Violence Victimization in Drug Use Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study of the intersection of drug abuse, partner violence, and HIV risk among drug using women.  PI: M. Singer (Hispanic Health Council).  Funded by NIDA (R01 DA13140).

1997-2006: Investigator, Interdisciplinary Research Methods Core: Center for Interdisciplinary Research, Yale University and Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: CIRA supports research on prevention of HIV infection and reduction of the negative consequences of HIV disease in vulnerable and underserved populations. The Interdisciplinary Research Methods Core supports the integration and application of multiple, mixed, and interdisciplinary methods to the study or social, behavioral, and biological aspects of HIV/AIDS prevention, care and treatment. Funded by the NIMH (5P30MH062294, PI: P. Cleary).

2000:   Principal Investigator/Project Director, Study of High-Risk Drug Use Settings for HIV Prevention: Pilot Intervention Study Supplement Institute for Community Research, Hartford
Project: The goal of this supplement to the HRS study is to develop and test for acceptability and feasibility a peer-led AIDS prevention intervention to be conducted in high-risk sites in preparation for implementing a full intervention study. Supplement to Project 3 of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) PI: M. Merson, through Yale University, funded by NIMH and NIDA (P01 MH/DA56826).

1997-2000: Principal Investigator/Project Director, Study of High-Risk Drug Use Settings (HRS) for HIV Prevention Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Research on the dynamics and characteristics of high-risk drug use sites and site user social networks to document HIV-related risks and to assess potential of developing AIDS prevention interventions to be implemented in situ.  This is Project 3 of the Center for Interdisciplinary Research on AIDS (CIRA) PI: M. Merson, through Yale University, funded by NIMH and NIDA (P01 MH/DA56826).

2000-2003: Co-Principal Investigator/Project Director, Effects of Partner Violence Victimization in Drug Users, Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: The major goals of this study were to the relationship between partner violence and HIV risk among women drug users at high risk. PI: M. Singer. Funded by NIDA (R01 DA13140).

1999-2003: Co-Principal Investigator, AIDS Risk in Older Urban Adult Senior Housing Residents  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: Study of factors that influence HIV risk among residents of senior housing, including risk related to drug use and sexual practices.  PI: J. J. Schensul.  Funded by the National Institute on Aging (NIA) (R01 AG16564).

1998-2002: Co-Principal Investigator, Pathways to High-risk Drug Abuse among Urban Youth  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT 
Project: Study of factors that influence transition from experimental to abusive drug use and use of heroin or cocaine, including injection, among 16-24 year olds.  PI: J. J. Schensul.  Funded by NIDA (R01 DA11421).

1998-2001: Co-Principal Investigator, Longitudinal Study of HIV Risk Among Drug Users (Project COPE III)  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT 
Project: Follow-up study of AIDS risk, retention of intervention effect and attrition among the drug using sample that participated in the NIDA cooperative agreement (Project COPE II).  PI: M. Singer.  Funded by NIDA (R01 DA11359).

1997-2000: Co-Principal Investigator, Intertwined Epidemics in Hartford’s Puerto Rican Community (Substance Abuse, Violence and AIDS)  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT 
Project: Research on the intersection of substance abuse, violence and AIDS risk in the Puerto Rican Communities of Hartford utilizing ethnographic, network, and survey methods in a longitudinal design.  PI: M. Singer.  Funded by NIDA (R01 DA10438).

1994-1997: Co-Principal Investigator, Effectiveness of Needle Exchange in AIDS Prevention  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT 
Project: An evaluation of Hartford's Needle Exchange Program for effectiveness in reducing AIDS among injection drug users.  PI: M. Singer.  Funded by NIDA (R01 DA09224).

1992-1997: Co-Principal Investigator, Community Outreach Prevention Effort II  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: NIDA Cooperative Agreement Program for AIDS Community-based Outreach/ Intervention Research, a national study of drug use and AIDS risk among active, out-of-treatment injection drug users and crack users.  PI: M. Singer.  Funded by NIDA (U01 DA07284).

1989-1992: Co-Principal Investigator, Community Outreach Prevention Effort (Project COPE)  Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT
Project: NIDA demonstration research on community based outreach and culturally appropriate AIDS intervention for injection drug users and their sex partners.  PI:  J. J. Schensul, M. Singer.  Funded by NIDA (R18 DA05750).

1995-2000: Director of Evaluation, Minority AIDS Prevention Project Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT 
Project: Evaluation of the Prevention Case Management Program, of the Minority AIDS Prevention Project (MAPP) for effectiveness in reducing AIDS among people at high risk.  Funded by the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).  Project Director, R. Gruber (U65/CCU107678).

1992-1996: Project Assistant Director, Community Outreach Neighborhood Network for Education, Counseling and Treatment Institute for Community Research, Hartford, CT 
Project: Outreach program and evaluation to reach active drug users for AIDS prevention and linkage to drug treatment programs. Project Director, M. Singer.  Funded by the Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) (H1N TI00344).

1982-1984: Dissertation research in the People's Republic of China.
Project: Study of gender concepts, birth planning policy implementa­tion, and the status of Chinese women.   Write-up supported by a Woodrow Wilson Foundation, Charlotte W. Newcombe grant.
Tasks: Conduct structured and unstructured interviews; engage in partici­pant observation; collect documents and other print sources.

Select Publications:

Weeks, M.R., Liao, S.S., Li, F., Li, J., Dunn, J., He, B., He, Q., Feng, W., & Wang, Y. (2010). Challenges, strategies and lessons learned from a participatory community intervention study to promote female condoms among rural sex workers in southern China. AIDS Education and Prevention, 22 (3) (forthcoming May-June).

Weeks, M.R., Li, J.H., Dickson-Gomez, J., Convey, M., Martinez, M., Radda, K., and Clair, S. (2009). Outcomes of a Peer HIV Prevention Program with Injection Drug and Crack Users: The Risk Avoidance Partnership. Substance Use and Misuse, 44: 253-281.

Dickson-Gomez, J., Hilario, H., Convey, M., Corbett, M., Weeks, M.R., and Martinez, M. (2009).  The Relationship between Housing Status and HIV Risk among Active Drug Users:  A Qualitative Analysis. Substance Use and Misuse, 44: 139-162.

Dickson-Gómez, J., Convey, M., Hilario, H., Weeks, M.R., & Corbett, M. (2009). Hustling and Housing: Drug Users' Strategies to Obtain Shelter and Income in Hartford, Connecticut. Human Organization, 68(3): 269-279.

Weeks, M.R., Convey, M., Dickson-Gomez, J., Li, J., Radda, K., Martinez, M. and Robles, R. (2009). Changing drug users' risk environments: Peer Health Advocates as multi-level community change agents. In: Schensul, J.J and Trickett, E., eds. Multi-Level Community Based Culturally Situated Interventions, Special Issue, American Journal of Community Psychology, 43 (3/4).

Weeks, M. R., DeCarlo, P. (2009) What are the HIV Prevention Needs of Crack Cocaine Users? (18 pars.) CAPS Fact Sheet, University of California, San Francisco (online serial), 66. Available: http://www.caps.ucsf.edu/pubs/FS/crackcocaine.php (December, 21, 2009).

Corbett, M., Dickson-Gomez, J., Hilario, H., and Weeks, M.R. (2009) A Little Thing Called Love: Condom Use in High-Risk Primary Heterosexual Couples. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 41 (4):218-224.

Wang, Y., Liao, S.S., Weeks, M.R., Jiang, J.M., Abbott, M., Zhou, Y.J., He, B., Liu, W., Mosack, K.E.  (2008). Acceptability of Hypothetical Microbicides among Women in Sex Establishments in Rural Areas in Southern China. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 35 (1): 102-110.

Weeks, M.R., Liao, S.S., Abbott, M., He, B., Zhou, Y.J., Jiang, J.M., Liu, W., and Wang, Y. (2007). Opportunities for woman-initiated HIV prevention methods among female sex workers in Southern China. Journal of Sex Research, 44(2): 190-201.

Dickson-Gomez, J., Convey, M., Hilario, H., Corbett, A. M., & Weeks, M. (2007). Unofficial policy: access to housing, housing information and social services among homeless drug users in Hartford, Connecticut. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 2, 8. Full text available online:

http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/picrender.fcgi?artid=1828723&blobtype=pdf

Weeks, M.R., Dickson-Gomez, J., Mosack, K.E., Convey, M., Martinez, M., and Clair, S. (2006). The Risk Avoidance Partnership: Training active drug users ad Peer Health Advocates. Journal of Drug Issues (Summer): 541-570.

Dickson-Gomez, J., Weeks, M.R., Martinez, M. and Convey, M. (2006). Times and places: Process evaluation of a peer led HIV prevention intervention. Substance Use and Misuse, 41(5): 669-690.

Torres, M., & Weeks, M. R. (2006). Sexual health protection, culture and community: Contributions of anthropology to community health education approaches: An introduction. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 25(1-2), 165-168.

Mosack, K.E., Weeks, M.R., Novick Sylla, L., and Abbott, M. (2005). High-Risk women’s willingness to try a simulated vaginal microbicide. Women and Health, 44 (2): 71-88.

Mosack, K.E., Abbott, M., Singer, M., Weeks, M.R., and Rohena, L. (2005). If I didn't have HIV I'd be dead now: Illness narratives of drug users living with HIV/AIDS. Qualitative Health Research, 15(5): 586-605.

Romero-Daza, N., Weeks, M.R. and Singer, M. (2005). Conceptualizing the impact of indirect violence on HIV risk among women involved in street level prostitution. Aggression and Violent Behavior, 10(2): 153-170.

Singer, M. and Weeks, M.R. (2005). The Hartford Model of AIDS practice/research collaboration. In E. Trickett & W. Piquegnat (Eds.), Community Intervention and AIDS. London: Oxford University Press.

Weeks, M.R., Mosack, K., Abbott, M., Sylla, L.N., Valdes, B., and Prince, M.  (2004).  Microbicide acceptability among high-risk urban U.S. women: Experiences and perceptions of sexually transmitted HIV prevention. Sexually Transmitted Diseases, 31(11): 682-690.

Dickson-Gomez, J., Weeks, M.R., Martinez, M. and Radda, K.  (2004). Reciprocity and exploitation: Social dynamics in private drug use sites. Journal of Drug Issues, 34(4): 913-932.

Clair, S., Singer, M., Huertas, E., & Weeks, M. (2003). Unintended consequences of using an oral HIV test on HIV knowledge. AIDS Care, 15(4), 575-580.

Romero-Daza, N., Weeks, M.R., and Singer, M.  (2003) . “Nobody gives a damn if I live or die.” Experiences of violence among drug-using sex workers in Hartford, CT. Medical Anthropology, 22(3): 233-259.

Weeks, M.R., Clair, S., Borgatti, S.P., Radda, K., & Schensul, J.J. (2002). Social networks of drug users in high risk sites: Finding the connections. AIDS and Behavior, 6, 193-206.

Schensul, J.J., Radda, K., Weeks, M.R., & Clair, S. (2002). Ethnicity, social networks and HIV risk in older drug users. In: Pescosolido, B. and Levy, J., (Eds.), Advances in Medical Sociology, Volume 8: Social Networks and Health, pp. 167-197. London: Oxford Press.

Weeks, M.R., Clair, S., Singer, M., Radda, K., Schensul J.J., Wilson, D.S., Martinez, M., Scott, G. & Knight, G. (2001). High-Risk drug use sites, meaning and practice: Implications for AIDS prevention. Journal of Drug Issues, 31, 781-808.

Weeks, M. R., Clair, S., Borgatti, S. P., Radda, K., & Schensul, J. J. (2001). Social networks of drug users in high-risk sites: Finding the connections. AIDS & Behavior, 6(2), 193-206.

Dushay, R.A., Singer, M., Weeks, M.R., Rohena, L., & Gruber, R. (2001). Lowering HIV risk among ethnic minority drug users: Comparing culturally targeted intervention to a standard intervention. American Journal of Drug and Alcohol Abuse, 27, 501-523.

Singer, M., Scott, G., Wilson, D.S., Easton, D. & Weeks, M.R. (2001). "War Stories": AIDS Prevention and the street narratives of drug users. Qualitative Health Research, 11, 589-611.

Singer, M., Juvalis, J.A., & Weeks, M.R. (2000). High on illy: Monitoring an emergent drug problem in Hartford, CT. Medical Anthropology, 18, 365-388.

Weeks, M.R., Grier, M., Radda, K. & McKinley, D. (1999). AIDS and social relations of power: Urban African American women's discourse on the contexts of risk and prevention. In: Elwood, W., (Ed.). Power in the Blood: AIDS, Politics, and Communication, pp. 181-197, Lawrence Erlbaum Press.

Weeks, M.R., Singer, M., Himmelgreen, D.A., Richmond, P., & Romero-Daza, N. (1998). Drug use patterns of substance abusing women: Gender and ethnic differences in an AIDS prevention program. Drugs and Society, 13, 37-64.

Weeks, M.R., Grier, M., Romero-Daza, N., Puglisi-Vasquez, M.J., & Singer, M. (1998). Streets, drugs, and the economy of sex in the age of AIDS. Women and Health, 27, 203-228.

Teaching Experience:
1986-2002
Adjunct Instructor, Dept. of Sociology, St. Joseph College, Hartford, CT.
1989 & 1985
Adjunct Instructor, Dept. of Sociology, University of Hartford, CT.
1986-87
Adjunct Instructor, Dept. of Anthropology, University of CT, Storrs & Hartford, CT.

Professional Memberships
American Anthropological Association
National Association of Practicing Anthropologists (Former Board Member)
Society for Applied Anthropology Fellow

Society for Prevention Research
American Public Health Association