Online Program

283107
African health cup: An HIV education and health promotion intervention for African immigrant men


Monday, November 4, 2013

Augustus Woyah, Africans for Improved Access program, Multicultural AIDS Coalition, Jamaica Plain, MA
Carol Bova, PhD, RN, ANP, Graduate School of Nursing, University of Massachusetts, Worcester, MA
In Massachusetts, from 2008-2010, non-US born blacks accounted for 55% of the people born outside of the US diagnosed with HIV. The largest proportions of non-US born persons diagnosed were from Sub-Saharan Africa and Caribbean (32%). Among non-US born females Sub-Saharan African women accounted for 48% and their male counterpart represented 20%. Stigma is the most detrimental risk factor. African born men are less likely than their female counterparts to utilize health services for many reasons. Cultural and immigration barriers add further obstacles to seeking health and HIV services. The Africans for Improved Access Program, in collaboration with community leaders, identified a critical need to target African men in an innovative way that capitalizes on the cultural activity of soccer. The African Health Cup (AHC) is an annual tournament that brings members of African immigrant communities together to celebrate culture, as well as, increase HIV/AIDS awareness, promote HIV testing, and reduce stigma. AHC started in 2010. This session will present findings from AHC 2012. AFIA partnered with the University of Massachusetts Medical School to implement a pilot process and outcome evaluation. A qualitative survey measured access to care, satisfaction with the AHC intervention, attitudes towards HIV testing and HIV-related stigma among 140 African immigrants living in Massachusetts. Qualitative interviews were also conducted with 29 individuals. AHC reached a wild range of Africans according to age, length of time in the US and country of origin. Findings also show a low level of HIV-related stigma and mostly positive HIV testing attitudes.

Learning Areas:

Administer health education strategies, interventions and programs
Conduct evaluation related to programs, research, and other areas of practice
Diversity and culture
Implementation of health education strategies, interventions and programs
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs

Learning Objectives:
Define African immigrants, including the HIV epidemic. Explain barriers to accessing social and health services for African immigrant men. Identify best practices in developing a community-level intervention targeting African immigrant men. Describe key activities utilized in the African Health Cup for engaging African immigrant men in HIV prevention. Discuss outcomes of the 2012 African Health Cup and rationale for data findings.

Keyword(s): HIV Interventions, Community-Based Health Promotion

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I have been the Program Coordinator for the Africans For Improved Access Program for four years. I developed the outreach strategies and interventions targeting African men. Prior to this position I served as the Community Health Educator for two years for Lowell Community Health Center. I provide HIV CTR and outreach services. I have a BS in Community Health Education and I am currently a MPH candidate.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.