A Study of Faith-based Workers Influence on Adolescent Sexual Health

描述（由申请人提供）：项目摘要：本研究的目的是探索位于低收入城市社区的非裔美国人教会中青年牧师对青少年的影响，这些社区的青少年怀孕率、艾滋病毒/艾滋病和性传播疾病感染率不成比例。这项工作将有助于制定更有效的促进性健康和生殖健康的战略，让宗教界中最直接与年轻人打交道的人参与进来。有三个主要的研究目标，推动这项研究：a）确定青年部长的影响：a）牧师和部长的教会，B）父母和监护人的青少年去教会和c）他们的直接影响，青少年本身。B）调查青年部长目前处理性健康和生殖健康问题的程度：（二）形式上（通过既定方案和干预措施）和非正式（通过按要求提供个人指导）以及B）直接（通过与性健康和生殖健康具体相关的方案）和间接（通过加强已被证明对性健康和生殖健康结果产生积极影响的其他保护因素）c）确定黑人教会实施证据的机会和障碍，基于全面的性教育和生殖健康促进战略，将减少低收入、内城社区目前面临的不利的性健康结果。为了实现总体目标和目的，将通过约翰霍普金斯大学彭博公共卫生学院（霍普金斯）和姐妹篇团结互助会（星星）（一个位于巴尔的摩的宗教组织）之间的学术界伙伴关系开展这项研究。这项研究将采用人种志研究设计，加上基于社区的参与性研究原则，以更好地了解信仰青年牧师对低收入、性传播感染/艾滋病毒流行率高的社区内青少年性健康和生殖健康行为的影响。人种学调查将包括地理制图、直接和参与性观察、人种学访谈、快速调查和重点小组。社区利益攸关方将参与研究过程的所有阶段和方法。1 公共卫生相关性：项目叙述本研究旨在了解黑人教会的领导对青年的影响，以及潜在的教会领导对艾滋病毒、性传播感染和怀孕的影响，这些疾病在许多内城社区都是流行病。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Project Summary: The purpose of this study is to explore the influence on adolescents of youth ministers within African American churches located in low income, urban communities with disproportionately high rates of teen pregnancy, HIV/AIDS, and STD infections. This work will contribute to the development of more effective sexual and reproductive health promoting strategies engaging those within the faith community who most directly work with young people. There are three main research objectives that drive this study: a)to determine the influence youth ministers have with: a) the pastors and ministers of their church, b) the parents and guardians of church-going adolescents and c) their direct influence on ,the adolescents themselves. b)to investigate the extent to which youth ministers currently address sexual and reproductive health issues: a)both formally (through established programs and interventions) and informally (through providing individual guidance as requested) as well as b) directly (through programs that are specifically related to sexual and reproductive health) and indirectly (through enhancing other protective factors that have been shown to positively affect sexual and reproductive health outcomes) c) to identify both opportunities and barriers in the Black Church to the implementation of evidence-based comprehensive sex education and reproductive health promoting strategies that will reduce the adverse sexual health outcomes that low income, inner city communities currently face. To achieve the overall goal and objectives, this study will be conducted through an academic- community partnership between Johns Hopkins University's Bloomberg School of Public Health (Hopkins) and Sisters Together and Reaching (STAR), a Baltimore based, faith-based organization. The study will use ethnographic research design coupled with principles community-based participatory research to better understand the influence of faith-based youth ministers' influence on adolescent sexual and reproductive health behavior within low income, high STI/HIV prevalence communities. The ethnographic inquiry will include geographical mapping, direct and participatory observations, ethnographic interviews, rapid surveys, and focus groups. Community stakeholders will be engaged in all phases and methods of the research process. 1 PUBLIC HEALTH RELEVANCE: Project Narrative This study aims to understand the influences of the leadership of the Black Church on youth and the potential Church leadership has on impacting HIV, STIs and pregnancy that is at epidemic proportion in many inner city communities.