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非裔美国人教会中的青年牧师对青少年的影响，这些教会位于低收入、青少年怀孕率、艾滋病毒/艾滋病和性传播疾病感染率高得不成比例的城市社区。这项工作将有助于制定更有效的性健康和生殖健康促进战略，使信仰社区内最直接与年轻人打交道的人参与进来。这项研究有三个主要的研究目标：a)确定青年牧师对以下方面的影响：a)其教会的牧师和牧师，b)去教堂的青少年的父母和监护人，以及c)他们对青少年本身的直接影响。B)调查青年部长目前处理性健康和生殖健康问题的程度：a)正式的(通过既定的方案和干预措施)和非正式的(通过根据要求提供个别指导)，以及b)直接的(通过具体关于性健康和生殖健康的方案)和间接的(通过加强已被证明对性健康和生殖健康结果有积极影响的其他保护因素)c)查明黑人教会在执行循证的全面性教育和生殖健康促进战略方面的机会和障碍，这些战略将减少低收入市中心社区目前面临的不良的性健康后果。为了实现总体目标和目的，这项研究将通过约翰霍普金斯大学彭博公共卫生学院(Hopkins)和姐妹会(Sisters Together)以及总部设在巴尔的摩的信仰组织REACH(STAR)之间的学术-社区合作伙伴关系进行。这项研究将使用人种学研究设计和以社区为基础的参与性研究的原则，以更好地了解基于信仰的青年部长对低收入、高STI/HIV流行社区青春期性健康和生殖健康行为的影响。人种学调查将包括地理测绘、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：项目描述本研究旨在了解黑人教会领导层对年轻人的影响，以及教会领导层对许多市中心社区流行的艾滋病毒、性传播感染和怀孕的潜在影响。

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.