Scott D. Rhodes, PhD, MPH, CHES, Department of Public Health Sciences, Wake Forest University Health Sciences, Section on Social Sciences and Health Policy, Medical Center Boulevard, Winston-Salem, NC 27157-1063, 336/713.5080, srhodes@wfubmc.edu, Eugenia Eng, DrPH, Health Behavior and Health Education, University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill, Rosenau Hall - Campus Box 7440, Chapel Hill, NC 27599-7400, and Ivan M. Remnitz, MA, Hispanic Liaison/El Vinculo Hispano, Chatham Communities In Action, 234 Fearrington Post, Pittsboro, NC 27312-8555.

Background: Latinos in the US have been disproportionately affected by HIV and sexually transmitted diseases. The primary objective of this ongoing study was to: develop and implement an intervention to reduce sexual risk among members of an adult male Latino soccer league in central North Carolina, USA, using a community-based participatory research (CBPR) approach.

Methods: A nine-county, 1,800-member adult male Latino soccer league is the study setting. Using an iterative process, a co-learning partnership of community members and researchers developed a multi-level intervention known as: HoMBReS: Hombres Manteniendo Bienestar y Relaciones Saludables (Men: Men Maintaining Wellbeing and Healthy Relationships) that has been funded by CDC. This theoretically-sound intervention incorporates lay health advisor models, theories of immigrant incorporation, and community capacity development.

Using quasi-experimental delayed-intervention comparison group design, 15 lay health advisors known as "Navegantes" have been trained from 15 different teams to serve as: sexual health advisors, popular opinion leaders, and community activists to promote men’s sexual health. Quantitative baseline data have been collected from members of the 15 intervention (n=150) and 15 delayed-intervention comparison teams (n=150).

Results: Participants have mobilized and organized for change. The HoMBReS intervention, which focuses on: increasing access to culturally-relevant educational and prevention services; exploring internalized feelings of temporary status; and, addressing racial discrimination and prejudice and pressures to conform to norms around hegemonic masculinity through multiple levels and strategies, is promising based on preliminary process data analysis.

Conclusions: An urgent need exists to address the health issues facing newly-arrived immigrants through authentic participatory approaches. The developmental process and preliminary implementation and evaluation of the HoMBReS curriculum will be presented.

Learning Objectives: Objectives

By the conclusion of the presentation, the participant will be able to
• Describe key socio-cultural determinants of sexual health within a sample of Latino men;
• Identify opportunities and strategies to build partnerships to explore the needs and assets of Latino men;
• Analyze the intervention components and theoretical underpinnings;
• Apply preliminary findings to future research and intervention revision and evaluation; and,
• Analyze the advantages and disadvantages of community-based participatory research in HIV/AIDS research.

Keywords: Latino, 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.

HIV/AIDS Research Roundtable: Latino and Hispanic Health

The 132nd Annual Meeting (November 6-10, 2004) of APHA