214736 Interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention in African Americans

Monday, November 8, 2010

Matthew Asare, PhD , Dept of Kinesiology and Health, Northern Kentucky University, Cincinnati, OH
Manoj Sharma, PhD , Health Promotion & Education Program, University of Cincinnati & Walden University, Cincinnati, OH
Background: The purpose of this paper was to review the HIV/AIDS interventions done in heterosexual African Americans and suggest ways of enhancing these interventions. Methods: In collecting the materials for this study, a search of CINAHL, ERIC, and MEDLINE databases was carried out for the time period of 2005 and 2010. Search terms included: HIV/AIDS, African American, Blacks, and interventions. The inclusion criteria for the studies were (1) focus on African American adults; (2) limited to heterosexual populations; (3) publication in refereed journals in the English language; (4) location of the study in the United States. Results: A total of eight studies met the inclusion criteria of which six were hospital-based and two were community-based. Five of the interventions were based on behavioral theories and three of those interventions used social cognitive theory. HIV/AIDS knowledge, risk reduction strategies, behavioral skills, condom use, self-efficacy, increase in communication about sex and goal setting were the main foci of the interventions. The review found that all the interventions were effective and there was significant behavioral change in all the interventions. Conclusions: The strengths of the interventions include the use of large samples, the post intervention follow-up, and the use of randomized control trial in design. However, there were issues relating to treatment integrity problems with subject participation and loss of subjects from the studies. Recommendations for enhancing the effectiveness of HIV/AIDS interventions in African American women are presented.

Learning Areas:
Public health or related education

Learning Objectives:
1.Describe HIV/AIDS interventions that brought about behavioral change in African Americans. 2.List the strengths and weaknesses of current HIV/AIDS interventions for African Americans

Keywords: HIV Interventions, African American

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualify to present because I did the literature review of the HIV/AIDS intervention in African Americans and prepared the project.
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.