TY - JOUR
T1 - Strategies to Promote African-American Church Leadership Engagement in HIV Testing and Linkage to Care
AU - Stewart, Jennifer M.
AU - Hong, Hyejeong
AU - Powell, Terrinieka W.
N1 - Funding Information:
Funding This study was supported by the National Institute of Mental Health [K23MH106378 to J.S.], the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease [1P30AI094189 to J.S.], the National Institute of Nursing Research [F31 NR016910-01A1 to H.H.], the National Institute on Drug Abuse [1K01DA042134-01A1 to T.P.], and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [Grant #1-U48-DP-000040 to T.P.].
Publisher Copyright:
© 2018, W. Montague Cobb-NMA Health Institute.
PY - 2019/4/15
Y1 - 2019/4/15
N2 - A vital piece in implementing and sustaining HIV testing and linkage-to-care within Black churches is the support of the pastors and church leadership. In order to promote church-based HIV testing and linkage-to-care, we explored pastor and church leaders’ (1) HIV-related knowledge, (2) their perception of congregant and community engagement in HIV-related risks, and (3) the potential role of the church in HIV testing and linkage-to-care. We conducted focus groups with 57 church leaders and 8 interviews with pastors across 6 churches in Baltimore, MD, USA. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The leadership demonstrated different levels of knowledge of the need for confidentiality, and the HIV testing process and reported that low levels of HIV knowledge among their congregants was related to low perceived risk of contracting HIV. Pastors and church leaders indicated that community members engaged in sexual risk and drug use but denied that any of their congregants engaged in such behaviors. Finally, pastors and church leaders have stated that churches were best suited as HIV service centers. These findings can be used to develop culturally appropriate interventions for pastors and church leaders to be better equipped and willing to incorporate HIV testing and linkage-to-care in their churches.
AB - A vital piece in implementing and sustaining HIV testing and linkage-to-care within Black churches is the support of the pastors and church leadership. In order to promote church-based HIV testing and linkage-to-care, we explored pastor and church leaders’ (1) HIV-related knowledge, (2) their perception of congregant and community engagement in HIV-related risks, and (3) the potential role of the church in HIV testing and linkage-to-care. We conducted focus groups with 57 church leaders and 8 interviews with pastors across 6 churches in Baltimore, MD, USA. Conventional content analysis was used to analyze the qualitative data. The leadership demonstrated different levels of knowledge of the need for confidentiality, and the HIV testing process and reported that low levels of HIV knowledge among their congregants was related to low perceived risk of contracting HIV. Pastors and church leaders indicated that community members engaged in sexual risk and drug use but denied that any of their congregants engaged in such behaviors. Finally, pastors and church leaders have stated that churches were best suited as HIV service centers. These findings can be used to develop culturally appropriate interventions for pastors and church leaders to be better equipped and willing to incorporate HIV testing and linkage-to-care in their churches.
KW - Church
KW - Church leadership
KW - HIV testing
KW - Linkage to care
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U2 - 10.1007/s40615-018-0527-5
DO - 10.1007/s40615-018-0527-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 30259407
AN - SCOPUS:85053915207
SN - 2197-3792
VL - 6
SP - 319
EP - 326
JO - Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
JF - Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities
IS - 2
ER -