Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117075

Dolores Albarracin, PhD, Marta R. Durantini, PhD, and Allison N. Earl, MA. Psychology, University of Florida, P. O. Box 112250, Gainesville, FL 32611-2250, 352-392-0601, dalbarra@ufl.edu

Background: A variety of perspectives have been presented to date on how the characteristics of interventionists affect the impact of HIV prevention interventions on behavior change. A small number of experiments have investigated this question, but no comprehensive review has been conducted. The goal here is to present results of such a comprehensive review and discuss the implications for policy related to HIV prevention.

Methods: A meta-analysis of 166 HIV-prevention interventions tested theoretical predictions about the effects of experts, lay community members, and similar and dissimilar others, as agents of change.

Results: In general, expert interventionists produced greater behavior change than lay community members, and the demographic and behavioral similarity between the interventionist and the recipients facilitated behavioral change. Equally importantly, women and African Americans changed more favorably in response to experts of their own gender, ethnicity, and behavior-risk group, partners of intravenous drug users changed more favorably in response to the combination of experts and other partners of intravenous drug users, and audiences under 21 changed more favorably in response to lay sources of their own age, gender, ethnicity, and behavioral-risk group.

Conclusions; These findings support the hypothesis that unempowered populations are more sensitive to characteristics of the interventionists who can facilitate access to various resources. In addition, they suggest the need to ensure the availability of health professionals from diverse demographic and behavioral ethnicities. The political implications of these findings are discussed, as is concordance between current policies and ideal ones based on our data.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of this presentation, the participant will be able to

• Describe the results of a meta-analysis which tested theoretical predictions about the effects of experts, lay community members, and similar and dissimilar others, as agents of change.
• Be aware of which sorts of populations are more sensitive than others to characteristics of the interventionists who are conducting the interventions.
• Understand the political and policy implications of these findings.

Keywords: Interventions, Policy/Policy Development

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation