Model for using hip-hop music for small group HIV/AIDS prevention counseling with African American adolescents and young adults
Introduction
The AIDS pandemic in the United States is rapidly expanding into untraditional populations previously considered to be at low-risk. Initially perceived as a homosexual or intravenous drug user problem, it has rapidly spread into the heterosexual community. Since sexual intercourse is the primary mode of transmission of the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), and because adolescents are often characterized by perceptions of invulnerability 1, 2and tend to display certain risk-taking behaviors [3], it is possible that the adolescent community will represent a major portion of the new population infected with HIV. Based on the dormancy period for HIV, it is difficult to determine the exact nature of the HIV/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) pandemic [4]and makes it hard to determine the true magnitude of the AIDS epidemic among adolescents.
African American (AA) male and female adolescents between the ages of 13 to 24 accounted for 5776 (4%) and 3271 (7%) respectively, of all reported AIDS cases for male and female AAs [5]. Recent data suggest that AA college students often violate significant HIV preventive activities [6]. Currently little attention has been directed, with the exception of peer education efforts, to constructively develop new and innovative ways to promote HIV/AIDS primary prevention among AA young adults. With this in mind, this conceptual effort presents an HIV/AIDS preventive counseling protocol developed for use with AA young adults that uses hip-hop music, a form of music popularized by young AAs. The contention that an increased understanding of the relationship of hip-hop music as perceived by many AA young adults may be used by disease prevention personnel to educate these populations about HIV-protective factors.
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Background
As of June 1996, nearly 550 000 individuals with AIDS had been reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Current statistics report that more than 80 000 men, women and children are infected with HIV [5]. Seroprevalence rates among adolescents are reported to range from 0.02% for college women and 0.5% for college men [7]to 14% for military recruits [8]. As of June 1996, of the total reported cases of AIDS in the US, 22 598 cases to date were among adolescents and young
Message development and cultural sensitivity
A central feature in the promotion of HIV risk reduction is the design of messages that encourage the practice of efficacious behaviors. Information derived from music listened to by a sizable portion of AA youth can result in a large body of risk reduction messages which can be effectively used in both group and individual counseling sessions. The content must be culturally sensitive to and considerate of issues and social norms of the target community, thereby enhancing decision making skills
Approach
The use of hip-hop music in HIV/AIDS primary prevention for AA youth attempts to integrate mediums originating within the social environment with HIV risk reduction. It is postulated that there may be a relationship between hip-hop music and the manner in which young AA individuals respond to it. As a consequence, it is feasible that using hip-hop music may accentuate the active listener's ability to personalize risk reduction messages attached to lyrics. The resulting health messages thus
Discussion
Prevention programs often start with the identification of individuals and/or groups who may have an increased concern for present or future health difficulties. This study developed a protocol, based on epidemiological and social research, to use hip-hop music in small groups as a strategy for HIV prevention among AA young adults. The protocol sought to enable participants to acquire resources (e.g., decision-making skills/ information) to reduce their practice of HIV risk behaviors. There is
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