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312139
Bridging faith and health: Engaging churches in a family-based HIV prevention and health promotion program for African American girls
Tuesday, November 18, 2014
Chisina Kapungu, PhD
,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Julie Jackson, MA
,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Debra Williams, MA
,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
Rochelle Jones, JD
,
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL
The African American (AA) church has been instrumental in facilitating the provision of HIV testing services, prevention, and education in communities. However, few empirical studies have reported church stakeholders participation in the development, delivery and evaluation of HIV interventions in African American church settings. A foundation for a targeted, evidence-based HIV prevention program in girls within a church setting arose from Project Wisdom, a 12-week family and faith-centered HIV prevention and health promotion program for AA girls and their primary female caregiver. Project Wisdom is unique in its integration of a theoretically-based “grassroots” HIV intervention developed by the faith community (Generation to Generation) and an evidence-based HIV prevention programs designed for African American girls (SiHLE). Project Wisdom was developed and refined through an innovative and collaborative community-based initiative involving one year of monthly, 4-hour interactive meetings with church leadership, a multidisciplinary community advisory board, church and non-church members as participants and parent-adolescent dyads. Through this community engagement process the program integrated HIV prevention strategies (i.e., effective parental monitoring, communication, safer sex negotiations, healthy relationships) with Biblical principles. Preliminary data (N=74 dyads) demonstrated high feasibility, acceptability, and tolerability: 97.2% of intervention participants retained at 12-weeks, 93.2% at post-intervention follow-up, 94.% retention at 3 month follow-up, and very positive feedback from the community partners and dyads. Findings highlight acceptability and feasibility of family and faith-centered HIV interventions which address the sexual risks of African American girls. We describe the lessons learned and recommendations for implementing health promotion programs in faith-based organizations.
Learning Areas:
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Public health or related education
Social and behavioral sciences
Learning Objectives:
Identify the key elements for successful collaboration and implementation of a faith-centered HIV prevention and health promotion program in the Black Church.
Describe the development and evaluation of Project Wisdom, a faith-centered HIV prevention and health promotion program for African American girls (ages 13-16) and their primary female caregivers.
Keyword(s): HIV Interventions, Faith Community
Presenting author's disclosure statement:Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am the principal investigator of a NIMH K01-funded research study focused on the development and evaluation of a faith-centered HIV prevention and health promotion program for African American girls and their primary female caregiver. My research interests investigate the multi-systemic factors associated with HIV risk among African American women and girls.
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.
