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

Abstract #118049

Rena G. Boss-Victoria, DrPH, MSN, RN, CNS and Olugbemiga Ekundayo, MD, MPH, DrPH(C). Public Health Program, Center for HIV Prevention Evaluation, Policy and Research, Morgan State University, 1700 E Cold Spring Lane, Jenkins Bldg, Room 343, Baltimore, MD 21251, 443-885-4042, drbossvictoria@aol.com

Young African American men face particular risks with regard to their sexual health. These risks are interrelated with other risky behaviors in all areas of life, including family life, education, peer groups, work and crime. Many of these behaviors have been shaped by mainstream social constructions of what it means to be male and Black in America. This presentation will describe a pilot project that addressed these issues and the complex interplay of factors that impact the identity, behavior and sexuality of African American men. Our intervention was designed to explore the utility of incorporating health education into community programs directed toward the: (1)integration of African American cultural and spiritual norms; (2) introduction of young Black men to Afrocentric principles and guidelines through socialization rituals and specific values, and (3) intergenerational exchanges that would change the ways in which Black men relate to each other. The presentation will examine community participation in public health practice to meet the needs for :(1)interventions that stress community participation; (2) acknowledging and addressing African American experiences and cultural frameworks;(3) reaching young African American men by relating to them and their interests and (4) creating an expanded community network to address HIV/AIDS.

Learning Objectives: