Villegas A, Cordova P; International Conference on AIDS.
Int Conf AIDS. 1998; 12: 169 (abstract no. 13412).
Musica Against Drugs, Inc., Brooklyn, NY, USA.
ISSUE: A community suffering from high incidence of drug addiction and HIV/AIDS requires innovative and culturally appropriate prevention interventions. PROJECT: A community vulnerable to the ravages that result not only from poverty, discrimination, high incidence of crime, indifference and despair but also from epidemics such as drug addiction and HIV/AIDS, requires innovative responses that promote healing, and mobilize people into action. To this effect, an artistic model has been developed to provide educational outreach and preventive bilingual services to individuals at risk of contracting HIV/AIDS. The model emphasizes the use of a theater gallery and creative arts workshops as the building block of a theatrical outreach team, support and nutritional services, a harm reduction initiative and case management. RESULTS: The model has been very well received by the Puerto Rican/Latino community. The organization has been able to communicate the prevention message at different levels: to children, to women, to the elderly as well as injector drug users and sex workers in a non threatening manner. LESSONS LEARNED: By intergrating the creative arts and culture as an instrument of transformation, a community based organization has been able to allure the community at large into the program and establish a dialog with individuals who ordinarily are not receptive to information and are unaware of issues surrounding the epidemic.
Publication Types:
Keywords:
- Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome
- Aged
- Child
- Communication
- Culture
- Female
- HIV Infections
- HIV Seropositivity
- Health Services
- Hemagglutination Tests
- Hispanic Americans
- Humans
- Incidence
- Latex Fixation Tests
- Organizations
- education
- organization & administration
Other ID:
UI: 102227797
From Meeting Abstracts