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

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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.