Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #117858

Kevin T. Roe, MPH, Magnet, 4122 - 18th Street, San Francisco, CA 94114, 415-581-1605, kevin@magnetsf.org, Buzz Bense, EROS, 2501 Market Street, San Francisco, CA 94114, Les Pappas, MPA, Better World Advertising, 870 Market Street #1205, San Francisco, CA 94102, and Matthew Bajko, Bay Area Reporter, 395 - 9th Street, San Francisco, CA 94103.

Issues

HIV incidence rates in San Francisco continue to affect primarily MSM, with the greatest concentration among gay men between the ages of 30-50. While prevention programs have led to remarkable declines in incidence rates over the last 20 years, current national prevention campaigns presented within the City and County of San Francisco, focusing on youth and women, present an incongruous message.

Description

Open Up, an HIV prevention poster campaign, was conducted to reinvigorate San Francisco's gay male community in HIV prevention, currently the domain of federally funded HIV prevention organizations. The contest was sponsored by a unique collaboration of a non-profit gay men's community health center and three local, for-profit organizations. Entries were judged on clarity, accuracy, creativity, and relevance to gay men in San Francisco. Entries were displayed at community settings, with the winning poster distributed throughout local gay establishments.

Lessons Learned

Public-private collaborations present a unique opportunity for local HIV prevention campaigns without Federal funds. Furthermore, campaigns such as this are effective at involving communities in addressing their health needs. Finally, most entries concentrated on condom use, with few addressing the psychosocial concerns of HIV prevention, such as self-esteem, disclosure dynamics, and sero-sorting. An emphasis on gay men's sexual health may encourage more diverse messages.

Recommendations

Public-private partnerships should be encouraged to stimulate community participation in HIV prevention campaigns. To enhance discourse around psychosocial aspects of HIV prevention among gay men, an emphasis on sexual and community health may produce campaigns that address these complex topics.

Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, participants will be able to

• Develop locally relevent community-based HIV prevention campaigns.
• Articulate the psychosocial dynamics involved in HIV prevention with gay men.
• Discuss gay men's sexual and community health as an integral part of HIV prevention priorities

Keywords: HIV/AIDS, Gay Men

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.

Recorded presentation