141st APHA Annual Meeting

In This section

291754
Step forward: A collaborative effort to reduce health disparities impacting Latino youth

Tuesday, November 5, 2013 : 4:50 PM - 5:10 PM

Claudia Powell, Associate Social Scientist Researcher , Southwest Institute for Research on Women, The University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
Aimee Graves, Senior Director of Child and Family Services , CODAC Behavioral Health Services, Tucson, AZ
The Center for Disease Control estimates that 1.1 million people in the United States are living with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV). Disparities persist in the estimated rate of new HIV infections in Hispanics/Latinos, however in 2010; the rate of new HIV infections was greater for Latino men and women than their white counterparts. In addition, youth, 13-24 years of age in the United States are at persistent risk for HIV. The Step Forward Project, a collaboration between CODAC Behavioral Health Agency, the University of Arizona Southwest Institute for Research on Women (SIROW) and the Southern Arizona AIDS Foundation (SAAF), expands services to youth, and enhances substance abuse pre-treatment and treatment services by incorporating comprehensive HIV/AIDS and sexual health education, outreach, pre-treatment, testing and counseling services for the adolescent population living on the United States/Mexican border region. People of color and young people in the Pima County community have historically had limited access to both services and treatment. The Step Forward Project is a participatory research project with 275 participants, 77.5% of whom identify as Hispanic/Latino. Our research question examines risky behaviors prior to and post intervention. Data were collected from individual self-report interviews using Global Appraisal of Individual Needs (GAIN) assessment and the Government Performance and Results Act (GPRA). Baseline and 6-month follow-up data are being collected and a preliminary analysis of outcome data show that participants continued to engage in positive behaviors 6 months post intervention and of the participants whom were engaging in sexual behaviors had more protected sexual contacts post intervention.

Learning Areas:
Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Assessment of individual and community needs for health education
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Discuss the ways in which our program has (1) increased accessibility of culturally responsive substance abuse treatment to youth from high-risk groups; (2) provided HIV risk reduction services, including comprehensive HIV/AIDS and sexual health education to youth from criminally involved and homeless/near homeless families; and (3) provided access to medical case management as well as a full array of ancillary services including food program, transportation, mental health services, and more – for youth who test positive for HIV and/or have a substance abuse diagnosis. Discuss and explore preliminary outcome data including implications of access to culturally responsive services, and cultural identity as a protective factor for substance abuse and risky behaviors.

Keywords: Health Promotion, Adolescents

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the evaluator of multiple, multi-year federally funded projects focusing on substance abuse and HIV and STD prevention, HIV/STD prevention and education and Family Drug Court evaluation, HIV prevention in disparate communities.
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.