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Implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions for young adult African American women in church settings.

OBJECTIVE
To assess the barriers and facilitators to using African American churches as sites for implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions among young African American women.


DESIGN
Mixed methods cross-sectional design.


SETTING
African American churches in Philadelphia, PA.


PARTICIPANTS
142 African American pastors, church leaders, and young adult women ages 18 to 25.


METHODS
Mixed methods convergent parallel design.


RESULTS
The majority of young adult women reported engaging in high-risk HIV-related behaviors. Although church leaders reported willingness to implement HIV risk-reduction interventions, they were unsure of how to initiate this process. Key facilitators to the implementation of evidence-based interventions included the perception of the leadership and church members that HIV interventions were needed and that the church was a promising venue for them. A primary barrier to implementation in this setting is the perception that discussions of sexuality should be private.


CONCLUSION
Implementation of evidence-based HIV interventions for young adult African American women in church settings is feasible and needed. Building a level of comfort in discussing matters of sexuality and adapting existing evidence-based interventions to meet the needs of young women in church settings is a viable approach for successful implementation.