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Churches may have role in HIV prevention in black community
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Historically, black churches have been important to the well-being of the black community, and a new study from Philadelphia reported that they might have a potential role in combating the spread of HIV/AIDS.
The results of a new study presented at the 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference revealed that efficient, innovative and effective HIV risk-reduction programs for inner-city black adolescents can be effective when delivered through churches.
The methodological approach for the study drew on Bandura’s social cognitive theory, Fishbein and Ajzen’s theory of reasoned action/planned behavior, and the investigators’ risk-reduction research with inner-city black adolescents and their parents, according to the study results.
In a randomized controlled trial, investigators recruited 613 black parents and one of their children 11 to 14 years through black Baptist churches in low-income communities in Philadelphia. The parent-child pairs were randomly assigned to one of three conditions: (1) a faith-based abstinence HIV risk-reduction intervention that uses scriptures to encourage abstinence until marriage; (2) a non-faith-based abstinence HIV risk-reduction intervention that uses family, future goals and being proud and responsible messages to encourage abstinence until marriage, and (3) a control group that receives a general health promotion intervention concerning health issues unrelated to sexual behavior.
The interventions were structurally similar: 12 one-hour modules that included informative and creative films, exercises, and group discussions implemented by specially trained adult facilitators on three consecutive Saturdays. Three-hour “booster” intervention sessions were implemented with parents and children three and six months later.
According to the retention reports, of the 1,226 pairs, 1,123 pairs returned for the second day and 1,171 pairs returned for the third day of the intervention. A total of 892 of 1,226 pairs returned for six-week booster, and 989 pairs returned for three-month follow up, 979 returned for six-month follow-up, 982 returned for 12-month follow-up, and 972 returned for the 18-month follow-up.
Jackson N. Church-based parent-child HIV prevention project. #C03-1. Presented at: 2009 National HIV Prevention Conference; Aug. 23-26, 2009; Atlanta.