What Works in HIV Prevention for Women of Color

Chapter 5: Tailoring HIV Prevention Programs to Fit Your Needs

Where HIV prevention is concerned, one size does not fit all. As community-based organizations seek to reduce the number of new HIV infections, it is important to tailor standardized prevention messages and specifically address communities considered hard to reach, especially women of color. Women respond to unique social, economic, and political pressures that must be incorporated into HIV prevention programs. Every approach may be different, but encouraging dialogue between community-based organizations, policy makers, and clients will go a long way to reducing HIV infections in increasingly diverse communities.

Evaluation is also an important part of the process. Internal and external reviews help community-based organization determine future needs and current strengths. Collaborative partnerships between CBOs, universities, and health departments mean that all those involved contribute to the overall investment in HIV prevention strategies that specifically target women of color.

Community-based organizations bring an expert knowledge of the communities they serve to HIV prevention work. CBOs can take the models presented here and shape them according to the culture of their communities, the available resources, and the strength and expertise of their staff. In addition, CBOs can ensure the effectiveness of their prevention efforts by seeking input from groups or individuals they plan to serve and conducting rigorous evaluations.

The challenge of meeting the constant demand for new, innovative, and successful HIV prevention strategies can only be addressed through the development of additional HIV prevention models for diverse communities. Prevention works. Each CBO should determine how and in what form HIV prevention can reach the people it serves.

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This article was provided by AIDS Action Council.