ISSUE: Comprehensive culturally appropriate and sensitive prevention and intervention programs must be designed to adequately address the diverse needs of African American men who have sex with men (MSM). Multiple interventions based on in-depth needs assessment are needed to reduce the spread of HIV.
SETTING: Multiple interventions were implemented in the greater New Orleans area targeting African American MSM in the 70116 and 70112 locale.
PROJECT: The Men of Color AIDS Prevention Project (MOCAPP) was developed to address the prevention needs of African American MSM. After an in-depth needs assessment focusing on identifying 1) barriers to early HIV testing, 2) barriers to safer sex, and 3) risk behaviors, project activities were used to design specific HIV prevention interventions. Interventions implemented included 1) street and venue based outreach, 2) peer education, and 3) safer sex skits.
RESULTS: During October 1999-October 2000, 4,556 MSM received a series of HIV prevention interventions. Twenty-nine individuals were trained as peer educators, utilizing a culturally appropriate curriculum. Peer educators reached 651 individuals in their existing social networks and through venue based outreach. Venue based outreach targeting African American MSM at two local bars reached 1,069 individuals. Street outreach to African American MSM commercial sex workers and African American at risk youth impacted 1,024 individuals. Through the implementation of safer sex skits in two MSM bars, 1,272 individuals were reached.
LESSONS LEARNED: Brotherhood, Incorporated findings indicate that comprehensive prevention programs utilizing multiple interventions have a greater capacity to reach more individuals within the community.
Learning Objectives: At the conclusion of the session, the participant in this session will be able to 1) describe street and venue based outreach, 2)discuss peer education as an intervention strategy, 3) explain the role of safer sex skits in HIV prevention, and 4) recognize the impact of utilizing a multiple intervention approach to HIV prevention in African American men who have sex with men.
Keywords: HIV Interventions, African American
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
Disclosure not received
Relationship: Not Received.