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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

Recorded presentation

Mari-Lynn Drainoni, PhD¹, Anita Raj, PhD², Yvette C. Cozier, DSc, MPH³, Cynthia Harris⁴, and Seth Welles, ScD, PhD³. (1) Center for Health Quality, Outcomes, and Economic Research, Boston University School of Public Health, 200 Springs Road (152), Bedford, MA 01730, (2) Department of Social & Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St., T2W, Boston, MA 02118, (3) Department of Epidemiology, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany Street, T3E, Boston, MA 02118, 617-638-7791, ycozier@slone.bu.edu, (4) Multicultural Aids Coalition, 566 Columbus Avenue, Boston, MA 02118

The black church has historically played a significant role in the African-American community by providing a broad array of support mechanisms including assistance with basic needs, community development, and political advocacy. The church has also provided health education/disease prevention programs for illnesses such as hypertension and diabetes, but has been far less active in risk reduction efforts associated with HIV/AIDS in the African-American community, for whom the infection rate has doubled during the last decade. Given the current climate in favor of faith-based approaches to health and social problems, we sought to identify barriers to as well as resiliency factors for the black religious community responding to and providing services for individuals at risk for or living with HIV. Data from focus groups conducted among Boston area clergy, and members of at-risk and HIV positive groups identified barriers to successful faith-based interventions. These include 1) stigmatization of at-risk groups, their families, and the larger community, 2) limitations in church capacity due to funding and government restrictions against such service provision, and 3) inadequate training to undertake this service provision. Resiliency factors include 1) the strength and expansive networks of churches within the community, 2) the growing recognition among faith-based providers that supporting those with or at risk for HIV is part of their calling, and 3) the comfort at-risk groups feel from regaining or building their faith, particularly in the face of addiction or HIV positive serostatus. These findings will be instrumental in developing and promoting successful faith-based interventions.

Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session the learner will be able to

• Articulate qualitative analytic methods
• Identify barriers to successful HIV-related faith-based programs
• Identify facilitators to successful HIV-related faith-based programs

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Faith Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No

Recorded presentation