National trends show a decrease in the progression from HIV to AIDS to death (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 1998). As a result, people are living longer with HIV/AIDS. Prevention efforts are needed to help those infected maintain safe behaviors and prevent those at risk from becoming infected. Prevention efforts are also needed to reach those not included in declining trends. Although there is an overall decline in incidence of HIV/AIDS, minority populations demonstrate higher proportions. These groups are also more likely to have difficulty accessing mainstream health care and therefore have a high risk for contracting and transmitting the disease. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention and the Health Resource and Service Administration have provided funding for five demonstration projects to develop and evaluate Prevention for HIV-Infected Persons (PHIP). Among the funded sites, four are from states ranked among the top 10 for the highest cumulative incidence of AIDS (Center for Disease Control and Prevention, 2000). A review of two projects highlight the effective use of outreach and community collaboration in responding to local epidemics. The NHOW project in San Francisco and the Ujima project in Baltimore City have implemented strategies to enhance their success including offering comprehensive services via a mobile van, assessing the location of high-risk areas and target populations, and providing workers who are community members. Process data from the projects' first quarter of implementation will be presented. Knowledge of the effectiveness of these projects warrants review for replication and refinement in other communities.
Learning Objectives: 1. Identify services in the community for collaboration 2. List strategies for implementing an effective mobile van unit 3. Discuss appropriateness of a mobile van unit in other communities
Keywords: HIV Interventions, Community-Based Health Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: San Francisco Department of Public Health; Baltimore City Health Department; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Human Resource and Service Administration
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.