1. African American Faith Leaders’ Normative Recommendations
for Addressing Racial Disparities in HIV/AIDS in Philadelphia
Amy Nunn1, Alexandra Cornwall1, Nora Chute1, Alyn Waller2, Rafiq Friend3, Julia Sanders1, Timothy Flanigan1
1Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and The Miriam Hospital, Division of Infectious Diseases, Providence, RI
2Enon Baptist Tabernacle Baptist Church, Philadelphia, PA
3Adhmadiyya Muslim Community, Philadelphia, PA
BACKGROUND: METHODS: An interdisciplinary coalition from
Philadelphia Mayor Nutter’s Office of Faith Based Initiatives
Nationwide, African Americans have eight
and Brown University Medical School convened focus
times the rate of HIV infection as Caucasians.
groups among 38 of Philadelphia’s most prominent African
In Philadelphia, 66% of new HIV infections
American Christian and Muslim faith leaders. Participants
are among African Americans2 and 2% of
primarily represented churches and mosques located in
African Americans are living with HIV/AIDS.
medically underserved areas in Philadelphia with high HIV
Given the large number of faith-based
incidence rates. Participants were asked to comment on
institutions in Philadelphia and their
how HIV is transmitted; their opinions on the social,
importance in the African American
structural and behavioral drivers of the local epidemic;
community, faith-based organizations can
barriers to engaging faith-based leaders in HIV prevention;
play an important role in HIV prevention.
and opportunities for enhancing HIV/AIDS prevention and
education in the faith-based setting. Pastors and Imams
were also asked to offer normative suggestions for
enhancing HIV/AIDS prevention in the African American
community in Philadelphia.
Billboard from citywide HIV prevention campaign stemming from focus groups
RESULTS:
Knowledge and Awareness of HIV: Most faith leaders understood how HIV is transmitted. Many participants were
unaware of Philadelphia’s racial disparities in HIV infection and noted this lack of knowledge as a common reason
for not engaging previously in HIV education and prevention programs.
Drivers of Philadelphia's epidemic: Faith leaders noted many social, structural and behavioral factors that
contribute to racial disparities in HIV infection. These included sexual concurrency, drug use, dissolution of family
structures, poverty, higher incarceration rates among African Americans, and pervasive sexual messages in pop
culture. Church fans
Barriers to engaging the faith community in HIV prevention: Barriers included concerns about tacitly endorsing provided by
extramarital sex by promoting condom use, lack of educational information appropriate for a faith-based audience, Greater Than
and fear of losing congregants and revenue as a result of discussing human sexuality and HIV/AIDS from the pulpit. AIDS
Campaign for
Pastor Leslie Callahan Recommendations from Faith Leaders: Many leaders expressed a moral imperative to respond to the AIDS Philadelphia’s
preaching about epidemic and committed to collective interfaith action. Importantly, many participants also commented that positions citywide
HIV/AIDS during citywide on homosexuality had historically divided the faith community and prohibited an appropriate response to the prevention
prevention campaign epidemic; many expressed interest in balancing traditional theology with practical public health approaches to campaign
address this critical challenge. Leaders committed to and recommended the broader faith community should:
integrate HIV/AIDS into health messaging and sermons, conduct regular outreach and host educational sessions
for youth, host regular HIV testing events during or after worship services, strategically engage the media in
citywide HIV prevention messaging to combat stigma and raise awareness about the epidemic, and create a
citywide interfaith coalition of faith leaders to address racial disparities in HIV infection.
This presentation was made possible with support from the
Lifespan/Tufts/Brown Center for AIDS Research. The project
CONCLUSION: Many African American faith-based leaders are poised to address racial disparities in
described was supported by Grant Number 5K01AA020228 HIV infection; engaging the faith-based community presents novel opportunities for expanding HIV prevention
from the National Institutes of Health, National Institute of programs. HIV prevention campaigns must cultivate local leaders, address leaders’ concerns and integrate their
Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism
normative suggestions into programs, and should be locally tailored.