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Abstract #156817

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Mae-Gilene Begay, MSW¹, Bonnie Duran, DrPH², Nathania T. Tsosie, MCRP³, Rosalyn Curtis, MPH, RN¹, Larry Foster, BA⁴, Philene Herrera, BS, CHES⁵, Yizhou Jiang, MS³, and Sherrick Roanhorse, BA³. (1) Community Health Representative/Outreach Program, Navajo Nation Division of Health, P.O. Box 2280, Window Rock, AZ 86515, 928-871-6786, maegilene.begay@nndoh.org, (2) Indigenous Wellness Research Institute, Department of Health Services, 1959 NE Pacific Street, Room H-680, Box 357660, Seattle, WA 98195-7660, (3) Family & Community Medicine / MPH Program, University of New Mexico, MSC09 5060, 1 University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, NM 87131, (4) Social Hygiene STD Program, Navajo Nation CHR/Outreach Program, Navajo Nation Division of Health, P.O. Box 2280, Window Rock, AZ 86515, (5) Health Education Program, Navajo Nation Division of Health, P. O. Box 1390, Window Rock, AZ 86515

The Diné Unity Project is a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funded project that provides STD education and screening to high-risk populations on the Navajo Nation. The Project was initiated as a result of an epidemiological investigation that identified incarceration and treatment for substance abuse as major risk factors for contracting syphilis and other STDs. The project has two major aims: (1) to institutionalize STD prevention education and screening in the Navajo Nation's adult and juvenile detention centers and behavioral health outpatient treatment facilities; and (2) to provide STD prevention education and screening to the Navajo Nation at large through community outreach activities on the reservation and in neighboring border towns. To accomplish its goals, the project engaged in a 6-month long community-based participatory process to create a culturally appropriate and evidence-based intervention for STD knowledge and prevention. The result was a Power Point presentation that provides basic STD knowledge including common symptoms as well as information targeting behavior change through condom use. The degree of knowledge, behavior, and attitude change as a result of the intervention was measured through McNemar and paired samples t-tests of pre- and post-tests completed by participating inmates (n=100+). This presentation features lessons learned from engaging in a multi-agency sponsored project and provides a model for institutionalizing STD prevention education and screening in tribal jails and other facilities.

Learning Objectives:

• Construct strategies for creating culturally sensitive interventions for STD prevention in Tribal communities.
• Recognize risk factors for Syphils and STDs among incarcerated Navajos.
• Identify methods for institutionalizing STD education & screening in high-risk Native American populations.

Keywords: American Indians, Prison

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

• Audio (mp3) recording
• Slides (pdf) or Handout
• Multimedia recording