The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #71007

Toby Perlman, PhD¹, Raymond Rodgers, MSW¹, and Scott C. Leon, PhD². (1) Behavioral Health Services, Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center, 938 West Nelson, Chicago, IL 60657, 773/296-3241, toby.perlman@advocatehealth.com, (2) Department of Psychology, Loyola University Chicago, 6525 N. Sheridan Road, Chicago, IL 60626

Because of communication and cultural barriers, deaf persons who rely on American Sign Language (ASL) are disproportionately impacted by HIV/AIDS. A dearth of accessible and culturally sensitive prevention education materials and an abundance of unchallenged misconceptions among members of the Deaf Community who are not fluent in English have impeded many deaf persons from making safe, healthy decisions about their lives. Advocate Metro Outreach, a comprehensive, multi-site outpatient program serving deaf children and adults who live in the metropolitan Chicago area, has developed and continues to provide HIV/AIDS prevention education materials to deaf persons whose native language is ASL. Advocate Metro Outreach has produced "videopamphlets" in which deaf actors communicating in ASL explain in a culturally sensitive manner, on a brief video or CD, the health information that hearing people frequently learn from picking up and reading a printed pamphlet. These videopamphlets can be watched at home or in a health care provider's office. Advocate Metro Outreach also has developed a deaf-friendly slide presentation for larger audiences. This session will (1) demonstrate and discuss the health promotion implications of using videopamphlets and deaf-friendly slide presentations with deaf persons who rely on ASL, (2)compare pre- and post-test scores from a questionnaire that measures basic HIV/AIDS knowledge and attitudes and was administered to a multi-ethnic, deaf audience attending a deaf-friendly slide presentation, and (3)provide a cost efficient, collaborative model for establishing HIV/AIDS prevention education services to deaf persons across the nation.

Learning Objectives:

• Describe and discuss the variables which place deaf persons at high risk for HIV/AIDS.
• Recognize the characteristics of a deaf-friendly, culturally sensitive prevention education program.
• Develop a cost-efficient plan to increase accessibility of prevention education materials to the deaf members of one's community.

Keywords: Deaf, HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.