Girls Holla Back! II: A family affair - an intergenerational approach to HIV/AIDS prevention for African American females

Issues - African American women are disproportionately represented in new HIV infections. Much of this infection began during the teen years. Parent-adolescent communication has been shown to have direct effects on adolescent sexual behavior and mediating variables; however, many parents are reluctant to discuss sexuality and risk reduction with their children.

Description - Girls Holla Back! II is an intergenerational HIV/AIDS prevention program for African American women and adolescent female members of their families age 12-17 in St. Louis, Missouri. The project provides HIV/AIDS education, opens lines of communication between the generations, and encourages participants to take responsibility for their own health. The intervention consists of six-hour workshops on four consecutive Saturdays using the evidence-based curriculum, Be Proud! Be Responsible!, structured cross-generational activities, and health-related workshops.

Lessons Learned - In the first Girls Holla Back! project, an integrated substance abuse and HIV prevention program for African American girls ages 10-16 with female mentors from the local faith community, there were significant increases in HIV knowledge and self-efficacy at program exit compared to baseline. Stronger bonds between girls and adult mentors were associated with reduced likelihood of self-reported risk behavior at program exit. All results were maintained at 6-month follow-up.

Recommendations - Girls Holla Back! has been very well received. Girls Holla Back! I received a 2005 What's Right with The Region! Award from Focus St. Louis. Effective partnerships have been established with local faith-based organizations. Development is underway to sustain the project in two cities through the statewide Committed Caring Faith Communities (CCFC) network.