vibes

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“A Group-Level HIV Prevention Intervention for Young, African-American MSM” HIV/STD Prevention in Rural Communities Conference April 5-7, 2007

VIBES Project Team: 

VIBES Project Team Jeffery M. Erdman; HIV Prevention Lead Agent, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Will O. Cobbs, Jr., PhD; Consultant, Illinois Dept. Of Public Health Arlene F. Valentine; HIV Prevention Specialist, Champaign-Urbana Public Health District Lawrence E. Lewis; HIV Prevention Specialist, Champaign-Urbana Planned Parenthood

VIBES: An Introduction: 

VIBES: An Introduction The VIBES (Very Informed Brothers Engaged For Survival) Intervention is a group HIV prevention behavioral intervention designed to reduce HIV risk and increase prevention practices among African-American Young Men Who Have Sex with Men (YMSM). The intervention is designed to be delivered in six sessions, following the VIBES Curriculum, and has potential to be adapted to other similar at-risk populations.

VIBES: Evidence/Background for the Intervention: 

VIBES: Evidence/Background for the Intervention Development of the intervention began in 1999 in response to a CDC mandate to create a statewide Outcome Evaluation Project, applicable to both urban and rural areas. Illinois was challenged by CDC to develop an intervention that could deliver positive behavioral outcomes in a high-risk group; the goal was to adapt and diffuse the intervention for providers’ use.

VIBES: Evidence/Background for the Intervention (cont.): 

VIBES: Evidence/Background for the Intervention (cont.) State and national HIV incidence data from 1999 was analyzed by IDPH and the Illinois Prevention Community Planning Group to identify at-risk target populations for the Outcome Project. State data indicated that HIV rates in young, African-American MSM were six times higher than in their white peer group. National data indicated HIV incidence rates of up to 30 percent in this population group in several U.S. cities.

VIBES: Evidence/Background for the Intervention (cont.): 

VIBES: Evidence/Background for the Intervention (cont.) At the time, extensive review of the literature, including CDC’s Compendium of Effective Interventions, revealed a complete absence of behavioral interventions targeting this risk group. It also became evident, via literature review and field research/focus groups, that young, African-American MSM, particularly in small communities in Illinois, were dealing with daily conflicts of identity, low self-esteem, violence, racism, homophobia, and a disconnection from their communities, and particularly, the Black Church.

VIBES: Theoretical Design: 

VIBES: Theoretical Design Therefore, founded on Social Cognitive Theory (emphasizing self-efficacy) and Stages of Change Theory (emphasizing identity), it was determined that: The core components of the intervention MUST include: Social support and empowerment Assertion skills training Personal responsibility/goal-setting HIV-related knowledge acquisition Condom and relationship negotiation skills Problem-solving/decision-making And… Identity and ethnic pride

VIBES: Session Contents: 

VIBES: Session Contents The goal of the VIBES curriculum is to allow young, African-American MSM to feel positively connected to their identity, communities and future, while learning HIV prevention and life skills. The following six sessions attend to this goal: Holistic Health and Hygiene Racism and HIV; HIV/AIDS 101 Structural Demands and Behavioral Self-Management Racism and Homophobia; Condom Use/Negotiation Faith and Spirituality A New Respect for Myself (Assertiveness/Life Goals)

VIBES: Testing the Intervention: 

VIBES: Testing the Intervention Working with the University of Illinois-Springfield Internal Review Board, the Project Team determined that VIBES would need to be tested with a sample of 18-24 year-old, African-American MSM, to avoid parental consent issues. To test that the use of the VIBES curriculum was associated with positive behavioral outcomes in this population group (the “Experimental Group”), a comparison group of YMSM was chosen to receive a series of six group prevention sessions based on the Red Cross HIV Prevention Facts Curriculum.

VIBES: Testing the Intervention (cont.): 

VIBES: Testing the Intervention (cont.) Nearly two years of focus groups with African-American YMSM from small communities in Illinois assisted the Project Team in locating the pilot of the VIBES intervention in the community of East St. Louis, Illinois. Recruitment of youth from the area was subsequently conducted and the six sessions were formally delivered at a local community center (to avoid identification of youth at a center serving MSM in this small community) in Spring 2003.

VIBES: Project Findings: 

VIBES: Project Findings The Experimental/VIBES Intervention Group experienced post-test gains for the following items from the project assessment tool: “If engaged in anal/oral sex, used a condom” “When aroused can stop to use condom” “Used condom for insertive anal sex” “When I need to make a change to my life, I can change easily” Highest post-test gain (200 percent): “How often do you use condoms”? Always

VIBES: Opportunities/Current Efforts: 

VIBES: Opportunities/Current Efforts Since 2003, IDPH, the VIBES project developers, and the Illinois YMSM Capacity Building Project have conducted numerous VIBES curriculum trainings, both locally and nationally. CDC is currently considering this intervention for use as a DEBI intervention, and the developers of the Mpowerment intervention plan to incorporate aspects of VIBES into their M-Groups with young, African-American MSM.

VIBES: Opportunities (cont.): 

VIBES: Opportunities (cont.) The VIBES Project Team is delighted to offer curriculum training or project implementation technical assistance at any time to interested CBOs, Health Departments, and other prevention partners. To schedule a training or to contact the Project Team, contact Jeffery Erdman at (217) 239-7827 or jerdman@cuphd.org THANK YOU…