Abstract
This study examines African American faith based leaders’ attitudes and beliefs about providing HIV prevention education and services to adolescents. Using a convenience sample, we identified priority adolescent health issues, attitudes about abstinence messages, and willingness to provide and participate in HIV prevention. Leaders identified drugs, gangs, alcohol, sex, and pregnancy as priority health issues affecting youth in their institutions. Leaders’ strongly preferred to emphasize abstinence messages. Although leaders were willing to provide youth with health education, they were not willing to discuss specific behaviors associated with HIV transmission. African American churches provide a venue to reach African American youth; however, there are limitations to relying on faith-based HIV prevention services. HIV prevention education should continue to be supplemented via parents, schools, and public health agencies.
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Acknowledgments
This research uses data from the Partnership for Adolescent Wellness Study (PAWS). PAWS was funded by a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) cooperative agreement R18/CCR420942. The conclusions and interpretations presented do not necessarily reflect the views of CDC. The authors would like to thank John Wallace and Drs. Roland Thorpe and Scott H. Frank for editorial feedback, and Dr. Agatha Eke for her guidance throughout the study.
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Francis, S.A., Lam, W.K., Cance, J.D. et al. What’s the 411? Assessing the Feasibility of Providing African American Adolescents with HIV/AIDS Prevention Education in a Faith-Based Setting. J Relig Health 48, 164–177 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-008-9177-y
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-008-9177-y