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Grantee: National Council on Negro Women Washington, DC 20004 Project: Combating HIV on Campus: Engaging Black Female Students in the Fight Against AIDS Amount: $898,746 Grant Period: 2010-2013
Project Description | Key Program Findings | Related Goals
Project Description The National Council of Negro Women (NCNW) is a council of 39 affiliated, national African American women’s organizations and over 240 sections, connecting nearly four million women worldwide. Its mission is to lead, develop and advocate for women of African descent as they support their families and communities. The purpose of the Combating HIV on Campus program was to address the disproportionate burden of HIV/AIDS on young African American women. This burden stems from a lack of power in romantic relationships, lack of awareness of HIV risk factors and the stigma associated with contracting HIV/AIDS. This project intended to raise awareness among young African American female students at Howard University and Bennett College of their unique risk for HIV infection, to increase their knowledge of HIV risk factors, to teach condom negotiation skills, and to engage female students in culturally and gender appropriate interventions.
In order to achieve the objectives, the grantee formed partnerships with Howard University, Bennett College, Community Education Group and Nia Action Community Center. They worked together to host biannual on-campus HIV testing events; created and distributed HIV fact sheets and research briefs; supported Sisters Informing Sisters About Topics on AIDS (SISTA), an evidence-based HIV prevention intervention using both social cognitive theory and the theory of gender and power; contributed at least four articles about HIV/AIDS per year to each campus’ newspapers; and provided technical assistance to NCNW affiliates. Expected outcomes included: 1) increased awareness of the facts surrounding HIV transmission, 2) increased awareness of the overwhelming prevalence of HIV among young black women, 3) increased awareness about risks under the influence of drugs and alcohol, 4) increased awareness of HIV status, 5) an improved internalized code that makes self-protective behavior non-negotiable, 6) improved communication skills in relationships, 7) improved condom negotiation skills and 8) decreased acceptance of partner behavior that increases risk of HIV transmission.
Process measures included number of women who received an HIV test, women who attended events, women who received pre-/post-test counseling and women who participated in the SISTA intervention and completed the intervention. Pre- and post-test assessments examined participants’ attitudes towards condom use, situations participants had experienced that could have made it difficult to utilize condoms, participants’ levels of confidence in their abilities to utilize condoms, their knowledge of HIV and AIDS and their engagement in sexual activity and risky behaviors. Evaluation of the social media campaign Me@30 included analytics offered by social media sites, and awareness of the campaign was tested through surveys.
Key Program Findings Reported throughout the Grant Period
Identified Best Practice
Related Goals
National Partnership for Action to End Health Disparities
Healthy People 2020 Objectives and Sub-objectives