Process Evaluation of a Peer-Driven, HIV Stigma Reduction and HIV Testing Intervention in Latino and African American Churches.

Karen R Flórez,Laura M Bogart,Kathryn P Derose,Frances M Aunon,Denise D Payán

doi:10.1089/heq.2017.0009

Karen R Flórez, Laura M Bogart + Show 3 more

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https://doi.org/10.1089/heq.2017.0009

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Abstract

Purpose: Faith-based organizations may be effective in addressing HIV-related disparities, but few interventions have been implemented across diverse churches. The Facilitating Awareness to Increase Testing for HIV (FAITH) intervention harnessed peer leadership to decrease HIV stigma and promote HIV testing in African American and Latino congregations. A pilot study found more consistent effects among Latino congregations. This process evaluation evaluates implementation of FAITH to better understand the pilot study's findings.Methods: Data sources included HIV education and peer leader workshop evaluation forms, participant views of the community's perspective of HIV, and peer leader follow-up interviews. Data were triangulated with systematic observation notes and analyzed using process-related themes of recruitment, reach, context, implementation, dose-delivered, and fidelity.Results: At the Latino churches (compared to the African American church), facilitators spent more time addressing community-based misconceptions about HIV. The peer leader model was well received, especially among Latino participants, and most said that after the workshop they felt comfortable speaking with others about HIV-related topics. Latino peer leaders reported speaking with up to 20 people within their social networks (particularly with family members); African Americans reported up to 4. Implementation challenges at the African American church may have contributed to the limited intervention effects. Nevertheless, we found the peer motivator model feasible and acceptable across diverse faith settings.Conclusion: Peer-based models within faith settings are promising for addressing HIV. However, differences among groups in HIV knowledge, social network characteristics and norms, and church preferences may influence overall effectiveness.

Highlights

Latinos and African Americans have disproportionately high HIV incidence, morbidity, and mortality rates and less access to HIV treatment and care services compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States.[1]
Most church-based HIV interventions have solely focused on African Americans despite the fact that Latinos are disproportionately affected by HIV and exhibit high church attendance rates.[10]
Because these three denominations represent large segments of Latinos and African Americans and because we included congregations of various sizes, we felt confident that our study would yield important information about feasibility, acceptability, and potential impact to implement this type of intervention across diverse congregational settings

Summary

Introduction

Latinos and African Americans have disproportionately high HIV incidence, morbidity, and mortality rates and less access to HIV treatment and care services compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States.[1]. Most church-based HIV interventions have solely focused on African Americans despite the fact that Latinos are disproportionately affected by HIV and exhibit high church attendance rates.[10] little process evaluation research exists that explores implementation of church-based HIV interventions with Latinos and elucidates differences in implementation between these two disparity groups. Addressing this gap is important given the increasing diversity in many urban settings. This diversification of the urban landscape requires interventions that can be implemented across diverse faith settings and with multiple disparity groups

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