eprintid: 8822 rev_number: 4 userid: 6 dir: disk0/00/00/88/22 datestamp: 2011-11-10 19:56:17 lastmod: 2016-11-15 13:47:52 status_changed: 2011-11-10 19:56:17 type: thesis_degree metadata_visibility: show contact_email: marti2004@yahoo.com item_issues_count: 0 eprint_status: archive creators_name: Free, Martinique C. G. creators_email: marti2004@yahoo.com title: UTILIZING STUDENT ORGANIZATONS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE RURAL SOUTH TO FACILITATE HIV/AIDS EDUCATION ispublished: unpub divisions: sch_gsph_infectiousdiseasesmicrobiology full_text_status: public keywords: Historically Black Colleges and Universities and; HIV/AIDS; African American College Students and HIV/AIDS; Black College Students abstract: AbstractHIV/AIDS among students at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCU) in the rural South is a growing public health concern. Lack of basic HIV/AIDS knowledge, underestimating risky behaviors, and lack of discussions relating to sexuality are some factors that contribute to the spread of HIV/AIDS within the HBCU population. Objectives of the study included the following: 1) To examine how the issue of HIV/AIDS is viewed by student leaders and organizations on campus; 2) To examine what student organizations and administrators are doing to educate the student body on HIV/AIDS; 3) To identify barriers that student organizations and administrators face when providing education to students; and 4) To examine how student leaders rate their leadership influence when interacting with their peers.This study utilized a qualitative research design in which student leaders and administrators were interviewed and asked a series of questions related to HIV/AIDS education on their campus. Student leader participants were recruited from a university site located in the rural South. Interviews were collected through a 30 minute tape-recorded session on campus. Interview data were analyzed using principles of grounded theory. The findings of the study suggest that student organizations could be a useful vehicle for HIV/AIDS peer-led interventions if their members are well trained and first address underlying issues such as cultural homophobia, sexuality, and stigma relating to HIV/AIDS. Administrators of the university should encourage students to be creative when addressing their peers about issues surrounding HIV/AIDS. Researchers and public health officials must create appropriate interventions to address issues surrounding HIV/AIDS before effective education of HIV/AIDS can take place. Public health significance: Improving HIV education among HBCU students presents a potentially effective strategy that addresses the larger issue of HIV/AIDS among African Americans by focusing their efforts and targeting a smaller sub-population first. The public health relevance of improving education among HBCU campuses is evident when considered in light of this promising possibility. This sub-population is particularly important because many of these individuals will become leaders of the African American community, and influence community behavior and attitudes towards HIV/AIDS. date: 2006-09-18 date_type: completed institution: University of Pittsburgh refereed: TRUE etdcommittee_type: committee_chair etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_type: committee_member etdcommittee_name: Silvestre, Anthony etdcommittee_name: Lombardi, Emilia etdcommittee_name: Terry, Martha Ann etdcommittee_email: tonys@stophiv.pitt.edu etdcommittee_email: ell8@pitt.edu etdcommittee_email: materry@pitt.edu etdcommittee_id: TONYS etdcommittee_id: ELL8 etdcommittee_id: MATERRY etd_defense_date: 2006-07-18 etd_approval_date: 2006-09-18 etd_submission_date: 2006-08-02 etd_access_restriction: immediate etd_patent_pending: FALSE assigned_doi: doi:10.5195/pitt.etd.2011.8822 thesis_type: thesis degree: MPH committee: Anthony Silvestre, PHD (tonys@stophiv.pitt.edu) - Committee Chair committee: Emilia Lombardi, PHD (ell8@pitt.edu) - Committee Member committee: Martha Ann Terry, BA, MA, PHD (materry@pitt.edu) - Committee Member etdurn: etd-08022006-134212 other_id: http://etd.library.pitt.edu/ETD/available/etd-08022006-134212/ other_id: etd-08022006-134212 citation: Free, Martinique C. G. (2006) UTILIZING STUDENT ORGANIZATONS AT HISTORICALLY BLACK COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES IN THE RURAL SOUTH TO FACILITATE HIV/AIDS EDUCATION. Master's Thesis, University of Pittsburgh. (Unpublished) document_url: http://d-scholarship-dev.library.pitt.edu/8822/1/FreeMa_etdpitt2005.pdf