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Rural Black Pastors: the Influence of Attitudes on the Development of HIV/AIDS Programs

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Abstract

This exploratory research addressed the question, among rural Mississippi African American Baptist pastors, what is the impact of attitudes toward HIV/AIDS on the development of HIV/AIDS programs in the church? It was hypothesized that empathetic attitudes toward HIV make programming more likely. The study used Froman and Owen’s AIDS Attitude Scale (AAS) and a demographic questionnaire, which included a measure that assessed potential program development. A sample of more than 300 African American pastors participated. The findings suggested that there is a significant relationship between rural Mississippi African American Baptist pastors’ empathetic attitudes toward AIDS and their willingness to develop an HIV/AIDS program.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University (FAMU), 1740 S. Martin Luther King, Blvd., Perry Paige #403, Tallahassee, FL, 32307, USA

    Phyllis Welch & Brenda L. Hughes

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  1. Phyllis Welch
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  2. Brenda L. Hughes
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Correspondence to Phyllis Welch.

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Welch, P., Hughes, B.L. Rural Black Pastors: the Influence of Attitudes on the Development of HIV/AIDS Programs. J. Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities 7, 90–98 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40615-019-00637-1

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