175381 In their own voices: Using CBPR to inform the design and implementation of a community-based HIV prevention intervention for rural African American adolescents

Monday, October 27, 2008

Dionne M. Smith, PhD, MAEd, NCC , School of Public Health/ Center for Health Promotion and Disease Prevention, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Steven R. Machlin, MS , Center for Financing, Access, and Cost Trends, Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, Rockville, MD
Bahby Banks, MPH , Cecil B. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Karyn Lynn Leniek, MD, MPH , Department of Social Medicine, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Tashuna Albritton, MSW , School of Social Work, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Aletha Akers, MD, MPH , Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Magee-Womens Hospital, Pittsburgh, PA
Selena Youmans, BA , Cecil B. Sheps Center for Health Services Research, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Giselle Corbie-Smith, MD, MSc , TraCS Community Engagement Core, University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC
Mysha Wynn, MA , Executive Director, Project Momentum, Inc., Rocky Mount, NC
Donald Parker, BA , Project Momentum, Inc., Rocky Mount, NC
Arlinda Ellison, MS, RhEd , Edgecombe County Health Department, Tarboro, NC
Barbara Council , Community Enrichment Organization, Tarboro, NC
Patricia Oxendine-Pitt, BS , Executive Director, NEW Sources, Inc., Rocky Mount, NC
Stacey Henderson, MEd , Educational, Research, & Technical Consultant, Project GRACE, Roanoke Rapids, NC
Doris Stith, BA , Executive Director, Community Enrichment Organization, Tarboro, NC
Background: Rates of HIV/AIDS among adolescents continue to increase with rural African-American adolescents disproportionately affected. However, few HIV risk reduction interventions have targeted rural African American adolescents or have used a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach. Academic and community partnerships can play valuable roles in adolescent HIV prevention research, by offering unique opportunities to combine expertise to develop culturally appropriate and sustainable interventions.

Objectives:To explore rural African American adolescent perspectives on key programmatic components to consider when designing adolescent targeted, community-based HIV prevention interventions.

Methods: We report data from four focus groups with adolescents aged 16-21 years (n=38) conducted as part of a CBPR project designed to develop multi-level HIV risk reduction interventions in two rural NC communities with high HIV rates. Content analysis was performed by three independent coders using the principles of grounded theory.

Results: Interventions should target younger rather than older adolescents in an effort to “catch them while they're young.” Intervention developers should obtain input from local adolescents regarding critical programmatic components such as: whom to employ as study recruiters and intervention leaders; intervention format and delivery options; acceptable recruitment and intervention locations; and, incentive structures. Adolescents believed the selection of community collaborators who represent varied community sectors were critical. Important barriers to address for adolescents included transportation, communication, and lack of interest.

Conclusions: When designing HIV/AIDS prevention interventions for adolescents, it is important to form academic/community partnerships designed to ensure that the voices of adolescents are an integral part of the intervention development process.

Learning Objectives:
1. To articulate critical components to consider when designing a HIV/AIDS prevention intervention for rural, African American adolescents. 2. To discuss the importance of using a community-based participatory research approach to inform the development of effective, culturally appropriate and sustainable adolescent HIV/AIDS prevention interventions.

Keywords: African American, HIV Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I contributed substantially to data analysis and manuscript preparation. I have expertise in qualitative data analysis, writing, and dissemination.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Not Answered

See more of: Lessons Learned: CBPH Interventions and Education: Roundtable Session
See more of: Community-Based Public Health Caucus