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Margaret R. Weeks, Ph.D.
blue arrow Executive Director, Institute for Community Research (ICR)
blue arrow Associate Director, Community Research Core
blue arrow Investigator, Interdisciplinary Research Methods Core

Contact:
blue arrow mweeks@icrweb.org
blue arrow Ph: (860) 278-2044
 Margaret R. Weeks


Brief Bio:
Margaret R. Weeks, Ph.D. is a socio-cultural anthropologist and Executive Director of The Institute for Community Research in Hartford, Connecticut. The Institute is an independent, non-profit community-based 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, over the past 15 years she has conducted studies on prevention of HIV/AIDS 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 multilevel 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 broader dissemination and implementation research. Dr. Weeks also has conducted research on the status of women in the People's Republic of China, and is currently conducting a multilevel intervention study of female condom use in sex work establishments in southern China.

Areas of Expertise:
African American,Communities of color,Drug Users,HIV/AIDS,HIV/STI prevention,Implementation Science,Injection Drug Use,Latino/a population,Prevention Education,Research,Substance Use/Abuse,Women

CIRA Affiliated Projects:
Enhancing HIV Prevention through a Multi-level Community Intervention to Promote Women-Initiated Prevention Options
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health
Status: Active
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
High-risk Establishments and Women's HIV Prevention in Southern China
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health
Status: Active
Region:
China
A Study of High Risk Drug Use Settings for HIV Prevention
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
A Study of High Risk Drug Use Settings for HIV Prevention - Supplement
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
Female Condom Use in High-Risk Women as Predictor of Microbicide Readiness
Funder:
Office of AIDS Research
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
HIV Prevention in High-Risk Drug Use Sites: Project RAP (Risk Avoidance Partnership)
Funder:
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
Longitudinal Study of the RAP Peer Intervention for HIV
Funder:
National Institute on Drug Abuse
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
Microbicide Acceptance--Prevent HIV in High-Risk Women
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
Microbicide/Female Condom Acceptability for Sex Workers in China
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health/Fogarty International Center
Status: Completed
Region:
China
Sustained Safe Behavior in High-Risk Women
Funder:
National Institute of Mental Health
Status: Completed
Region:
U.S. - Connecticut
Training in HIV Prevention & Care Research in South Africa-ICOHRTA
Funder:
Fogarty International Center/National Institute on Drug Abuse
Status: Completed
Region:
Africa - South Africa

Selected Publications:
In Press

Corbett, M., Dickson-Gomez, J., Hilario, H., and Weeks, M.R.  (In Press). A Little Thing Called Love: Condom Use Among High-Risk Primary Heterosexual Couples. Perspectives on Sexuality and Reproductive Health, (), .

2009

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. Journal of Community Psychology, 43(3/4), 330-344.

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 & Misuse, 44(2), 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 & Misuse, 44(2), 139-162.

2008

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.

2007

Weeks, M.R., Abbott, M., Liao, S.S., Yu, W., He, B., Zhou, Y.J., Liu, W., and Jiang, J.M.  (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., and Weeks, M.  (2007). Unofficial Policy: Access to Housing, Housing Information, and Social Services among Homeless Drug Users in Hartford, CT. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention and Policy, 2(8), 2-8.

2006

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 and Peer Health Advocates. Journal of Drug Issues, 36(3), 541-570.

Dickson-Gomez, J., Weeks, M., Martinez, M., and Convey, M.  (2006). Times and Places: Process Evaluation of a Peer-Led HIV Prevention Intervention. Substance Use & Misuse, 41(5), 669-690.

2005

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 & Health, 42(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.

2004

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.

2003

Clair, S., Singer, M., Huertas, E. and Weeks, M.R.  (2003). Unintended Consequences of Using an Oral HIV Test on HIV Knowledge. AIDS Care, 15(4), 575-80.

2002

Weeks, M.R., Clair, S., Borgatti, S.P., Radda, K. and Schensul, J.J.  (2002). Social Networks of Drug Users in High-Risk Sites: Finding the Connections. AIDS and Behavior, 6(2), 193-206.

2001

Weeks, M.R., Clair, S., Singer, M., Radda, K., Schensul, J.J., Wilson, D.S., Martinez, M., Scott, G. and Knight, G.  (2001). High Risk Drug Use Sites, Meaning and Practice: Implications for AIDS Prevention. Journal of Drug Issues, 31(3), 781-808.

Singer, M., Scott, G., Wilson, S., Easton, D., Weeks, M.R.  (2001). War Stories: AIDS Prevention and the Street Narratives of Drug Users. Qualitative Health Research., 11(5), 589.

2000

Singer, M., Juvalis, A., Weeks, M.R.  (2000). High on Illy: studying an Emergent Drug Problem in Hartford, CT. Medical Anthropology, 18(), 365-388.

1999

Singer, M., Weeks, M.R., Grier, M., Romero-Daza, N., Puglisi, M.  (1999). Streets, Drugs, and the Economy of Sex in the Age of AIDS. Women & Health, 27(1-2), 205-229.

1998-1999

Schensul, J.J., Torres, M.I., Weeks, M.  (1998-1999). Learning About Sexual Meaning and Decision-Making from Urban Adolescents. International Quarterly of Community Health Education, 18(1), 29-48.

1998

Singer, M., Weeks, M.R., Himmelgreen, D.  (1998). Drug Use Patterns of Substance Abusing Women: Implications for Treatment Providers. in , Drugs and Society (pp.321-341). : .

Singer, M., Himmelgreen, D., Dushay, R. and Weeks, M.R.  (1998). Variation in drug injection frequency among out-of-treatment drug users in a national sample. American Journal of Drug & Alcohol Abuse, 24(2), 321-41.

1995

Weeks, M. R., Schensul, J.J., Williams, S.S., Singer, M. and Grier, M.  (1995). AIDS prevention for African-American and Latina women: building culturally and gender-appropriate intervention. AIDS Education & Prevention, 7(3), 251-64.

1993

Weeks, M., Schensul, J.  (1993). Ethnographic Research on AIDS Risk Behavior and the Making o f Policy. in Fetterman, D., Speaking the Language of Power: Communication, Collaboration and Avocacy (pp.50-69). : The Falmer Press.

1992

Singer, M., Jia, Z., Schensul, J.J., Weeks, M.R. and Page, J.B.  (1992). AIDS and the IV drug user: the local context in prevention efforts. Medical Anthropology, 14(2-4), 285-306.

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