|
June 2006 Monthly Monitor
Advocates for Youth's Youth of Color Initiative
Feature: The HIV Vaccine and Communities of Color*
While anti-retrovirals have given hope to millions of those who are HIV positive, prevention remains our most powerful weapon in the fight to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Worldwide, approaches to prevention have included education; encouraging people to modify or avoid risky behaviors; drug abuse treatment; needle exchange programs; testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections other than HIV; and efforts to prevent mother-to-child transmission. We’ve learned that when people understand their role in preventing the spread of the virus, they are empowered to keep themselves and others safe. But what about a new and powerful form of prevention – vaccination?
Communities of color[1] are disproportionately infected with HIV and are also disproportionately affected by the HIV and AIDS pandemic. Yet relatively few people of color in the United States volunteer for HIV prevention vaccine trials. The lack of diversity among volunteers for HIV prevention vaccine trials may have a serious impact on communities of color and on the discovery of a prevention vaccine effective for all populations. Scientists need a complete understanding of how the vaccine works – on women and men; on people of varying ages; and on people of different races and cultures. Volunteering in HIV prevention vaccine trials will help efforts to develop a vaccine – giving us even more power to protect ourselves and others from HIV and AIDS.
Barriers to the Participation of People of Color
The research community identifies several challenges to full participation in vaccine trials by members of communities of color. Myths, misconceptions, fears, and prejudices abound, despite researcher efforts to dispel them. The best way to overcome these barriers is for interested and caring people within affected communities to address the issues directly, both with other members of their community and with researchers.
Barrier #1, Distrust of government, and belief that a cure or vaccine for HIV already exists[2] —According to a 2003 survey, 48 percent of African Americans and 28 percent of Hispanics believe that an HIV vaccine already exists and is being kept secret by the government; 20 percent of all American adults believe this[2]. One legacy of the infamous Tuskegee syphilis study, in which the United States Public Health Service withheld syphilis treatment from a group of poor black men for experimental purposes[3], is a widespread fear in communities of color that HIV is a government-originated illness, designed to kill people of color[4]. The sad truth is that this fear may prevent people of color from taking important HIV prevention steps, such as using condoms and/or participating in vaccine trials.
Barrier #2, Homophobia and HIV discrimination[5] —Homophobia fuels the epidemic by provoking sexual risk-taking among heterosexual individuals and among gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender people. At the base of these attitudes is fear—fear of being thought gay, fear of being targeted for violence, and/or fear of being thought to be HIV-infected. Discrimination against those infected with HIV or living with AIDS also fuels the epidemic by preventing infected people from being open about their condition and/or seeking treatment.[4]
Barrier #3, Lack of openness about sexuality—Research shows that an unwillingness to talk about sexuality and sexual health issues can leave young people unprepared to protect themselves when they initiate sex and can lead to a lack of open and honest conversations between partners about their sexual history and their need for protection[6,7].
Barrier #4, Fear that HIV prevention vaccines may cause HIV infection [2]—This fear probably springs from a misunderstanding about vaccines. People do not understand that trial vaccines are man-made, contain no HIV, and cannot cause HIV infection. Vaccine trial volunteers may test positive for HIV antibodies because the vaccine properly triggers the immune system to fight HIV.
Barrier #5, Cultural beliefs—Different cultures approach topics such as illness and relationships in very different ways. For example, at least one Native American culture teaches that speaking about an illness will bring it into existence. Thus, it is important to approach subjects such as HIV prevention and HIV vaccines in a careful manner that respects and recognizes cultural traditions.[8]
Barrier #6, Language—People whose first language is not English can have difficulty finding accurate and understandable information about HIV and AIDS and about HIV vaccine trials. They may experience difficulty in communicating with health care workers, and they may be unable to give informed consent, if vaccine trial information is not readily available in their own language.[9]
Barrier #7, Past encounters with racial/ethnic discrimination—If potential volunteers have encountered discrimination or lack of cultural sensitivity on the part of health care workers in the past, they may be reluctant to expose themselves to further insult.[7]
Community Support and Participation—Overcoming the Barriers
The barriers that inhibit people of color from participating in HIV vaccine trials underscore several needs. Communities of color need accurate, understandable, and culturally appropriate information about current efforts to develop HIV prevention and HIV therapeutic vaccines. Researchers need to build trust within communities of color, because trust is critical to their full participation in vaccine trials. Building trust will require that scientists and researchers are visible within the community; research teams include members of the concerned communities; and researchers build cultural sensitivity and awareness. These actions may help lessen feelings of vulnerability and increase trust between researchers and communities of color.
Involving Youth of Color in Vaccine Trials
Since almost half of all new HIV infections occur among youth under age 25, and since rates of HIV infection are disproportionately high among youth of color,[10,11] young people in communities of color remain at high risk for HIV infection. With each day that passes, more young people are infected with HIV. Thus, it is crucial that youth ages 18 through 24 participate in HIV vaccine trials. Especially crucial is the participation of youth of color and of young men of color who have sex with men. A successful HIV prevention vaccine trial requires thousands of participants, male and female, from varied ethnic backgrounds, to ensure the vaccine's effectiveness in all populations. And, it is absolutely essential that the vaccine—when found—is also certified for use in teens and young adults.
In addition to becoming trial volunteers, youth in communities of color can show support for HIV vaccine research by:
- Letting others know of their support for HIV vaccine research;
- Providing education about HIV and the critical need for an HIV prevention vaccine;
- Dispelling myths and sharing accurate information about HIV and AIDS and about vaccine research; and
- Supporting a family member or friend who is a volunteer.
*This feature summarizes HIV Vaccine Research: Creating Support Among Communities of Colors, by N. Deas, [Issues at a Glance], Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth, 2005.
References:
- Through out this article, communities of color include: African Americans and/or blacks; Asian and Pacific Islander (API); Latinos and/or Hispanics; and Native Americans, American Indians, and/pr Alaskan natives.
- NIAID. Many Americans Think and AIDS Vaccine Already Exists. Rockville, MD: NIAID, 2003.
- The National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention. The Tuskegee Timeline. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/od/tuskegee/time.htm. Accessed on June 13, 2006.
- Center for Reproductive Law and Policy. Exposing Inequality: Failures of Reproductive Health Policy in the United States. New York: The Center, 1998.
- Public Media Center. The Impact of Homophobia and Other Social Biases on AIDS: A Special Report. San Francisco, CA: The Center, 1995
- Weeks MR et al. AIDS prevention for African American and Latina women: building culturally and gender-appropriate interventions. AIDS Education & Prevention 1995; 7:251-263.
- Sy FS et al. Epidemiology of HIV and AIDS among Asian and Pacific Islander Americans. AIDS Education & Prevention 1998; 10 (supple A): 4-18.
- Carrese JA, Rhodes LA. Western bioethics on the Navajo reservation: benefit or harm? JAMA 1995; 274:826-829.
- Davis L. Adolescent Sexual Health & the Dynamics of Oppression: A Call for Cultural Competency [Issues at a Glance]. Washington, DC: Advocates for Youth, 2003
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC). Young People at Risk: HIV/AIDS among America’s Youth. Atlanta, GA: CDC, 2002
- CDC. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report 2002; 13(2): 1-44.
Capacity Building & Professional Development
Advocates for Youth is currently seeking proposals for its Youth of Color Initiative. Through the Youth of Color Initiative, community-based organizations may receive culturally relevant publications and materials on HIV/STI and teen pregnancy prevention programming, strategic technical assistance and training, and seed grants in the amount of $8,000 to implement HIV/STI and teen pregnancy prevention projects for young African American/black and Latina/Hispanic women 13 to 18 years old. The Youth of Color Initiative is made possible through a cooperative agreement with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Division of Adolescent and School Health.
Please visit http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/about/yoc.htm for more information about this opportunity, including eligibility and criteria for selection. The application form and/or proposal are due by July 7, 2006, 5:00 p.m. EDT. Please mail or fax applications to Urooj Arshad, Program Manager, Youth of Color Initiative, Advocates for Youth, 2000 M Street, NW, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20036, (202) 419-1448.
Funding Opportunities
Cable Positive's Tony Cox Community Fund is a national grant program that exists to encourage community-based AIDS organizations and cable outlets to partner in joint community outreach efforts, or to produce and distribute new, locally focused HIV/AIDS-related programs and public service announcements (PSAs).
Eligible local community outreach projects include, but are not limited to World AIDS Day (December 1) and National HIV Testing Day (June 27) events, AIDS Rides/Walks, other joint efforts between AIDS organizations, and local cable operators, etc. Funding is also available for production costs of HIV/AIDS-related programs and PSAs.
Please visit http://www.cablepositive.org/programs-tonycox.html or contact Thomas Henning at thenning@cablepositive.org/212-459-1606
Announcements
Advocates for Youth is currently recruiting peer educators for MySistahs (www.mysistahs.org) and Youth Resource (www.youthresource.com) for the 2006-2007 school year. Online peer educators answer questions posed by visitors and point visitors to appropriate resources. Online peer educators do not provide medical advice. They also help in developing content by writing articles for MySistahs and Youth Resource.
MySistahs is a Web site created by and for young women of color to provide information and offer support on sexual and reproductive health issues through education and advocacy. Through monthly features and online peer education, young women receive information on activism, culture, sexual health, and other issues that are important to them. The Web site currently receives an average of 25,000 unique visitors a month!
Youth Resource, a website by Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender and Questioning (GLBTQ) young people, takes a holistic approach on sexual health and exploring issues of concern to GLBTQ youth.
New peer educators must:
- Be between the ages of 14 and 23
- Be able to attend a 3 day training in Washington DC (all expenses paid) from September 14-17, 2006
- Have regular access to a computer, e-mail and the InternetMySistahs and Youth Resource are Web sites hosted by Advocates for Youth.
- Advocates for Youth champions efforts to help young people make informed and responsible decisions about their reproductive and sexual health. Advocates believes it can best serve the field by boldly advocating for a more positive and realistic approach to adolescent sexual health.
More information can be found at http://www.mysistahs.org/sts/apply.htm for MySistahs and http://www.youthresource.com/about/contact.htm for Youth Resource. The deadline is June 30th.
Resources
For Resources on HIV Vaccines, please check out the following:
You can help Advocates for Youth with a contribution today. To donate, visit http://www.advocatesforyouth.org/about/donatetoday.htm
Read previous issues from the Archive of e-News Updates >>
|
Send this page to a friend