The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #56775

Joyce Hunter, DSW, Unit 29, HIV Center for Clinical & Behavioral Studies/NYSPI/Columbia University, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NY 10032, (212) 740-7291, JHuntLGhlt@aol.com and Janice A. Baer, MA, Unit 29, HIV Center for Clinical & Behavioral Studies/NYSPI, 1051 Riverside Drive, New York, NM 10032.

ISSUES: After two decades, AIDS is still a crisis affecting GLBT youth, often urban, youth of color, male and female, in the US. In its national goal of reducing new HIV infections from 40,000 to 20,000 by 2005, CDC cited the need to eliminate racial/ethnic disparities to bring prevention to the hardest-to-reach populations. Included are many HIV-positive and at-risk GLBT youth; most do not know their status or risk (Valleroy et al., 2000). While prevention works (IOM, 2002), many GLBT youth are not being reached. Discrimination, hiding, coping in a heterosexist and “transphobic” society, social isolation, lack of access to comprehensive sex education, counseling,/testing/ referral (CTR), medical and social services, unsafe sexual behaviors with peers, both male and female, or older partners, in a high-HIV incidence population, homelessness, all contribute to risk (Clatts & Davis, 1999; Spikes et al., 2001). DESCRIPTION: Best practices and model HIV prevention/intervention programs for GLBT youth in CBOs, medical centers, schools and school-based clinics, community-wide social marketing efforts were reviewed, from research papers, journals, government agencies, private organizations, internet sites. Document analysis of best practices was performed; model programs for GLBT youth were identified. CONCLUSIONS: Effective HIV interventions for youth must address a myriad of issues and include community-based outreach programs targeting these hard-to-reach and often hidden populations. Peer outreach/education; extensive community collaboration for a continuum of care—integration/linkage of CTR with accessible follow up mental health and social services, and sound theory-based sustained interventions developed through research-community collaboration, are essential.

Learning Objectives:

Learning objectives: Participants will be able to:
• Identify criteria for best practices in prevention/intervention with LGBT youth;
• Assess programs based on qualities found to be effective in interventions with this population;
• Locate the myriad of resources, including web-based resources, for information available on best practices and model programs in the US.

Keywords: Adolescents, HIV Interventions

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
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.