Outreach programs are commonly used to reach high-risk individuals who are difficult to reach through more traditional types of HIV prevention education programs. Outreach programs often use street or peer models in programs depending on specific program and client characteristics. The unique approach of outreach programs and certain characteristics of the clients they serve make these programs particularly challenging to evaluate.
Using funding from the State of California University-Wide AIDS Research Program, this evaluative study assessed the impact of HIV prevention outreach programs that target individuals at high risk for HIV infection. In this prospective study, outreach workers themselves used face-to-face semi-structured qualitative interviews to collect data from outreach clients. Data were collected from outreach clients in three AIDS Service Organizations (ASOs) in Santa Barbara County, whose target populations include men who have sex with men, intravenous drug users, the incarcerated, youth, commercial sex workers, and people of color. Data were collected from the same subjects at multiple points in time (once each month) over a twelve-month period. Over the course of the year, the cohort was followed and asked questions about selected demographics; HIV-related knowledge, attitudes, and risk behaviors; use of HIV, medical, and social services; and unmet service needs. Data were analyzed by agency across time.
The results from this survey are crucial to ASOs for program planning and assessment as well as broader policy decisions.
Learning Objectives: By the end of the session, the participant will be able to: 1. Describe the challenges of evaluating outreach programs; 2. Assess effectiveness of HIV prevention programs using different outreach models; and 3. Articulate how to design an evaluation that can be used by individual ASOs
Keywords: Evaluation, Outreach Programs
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: Planned Parenthood of Santa Barbara County
Pacific Pride Foundation
Project Recovery
State of CA University-Wide AIDS Research Program
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.