HoMBReS Promotes Safe Sex

HoMBRes promotes safe sex and reduces infections among recently arrived Latino men in rural North Carolina, USA. The intervention selects, trains, and supports these men to serve as lay health advisers, It also works with a critical influencer group – local soccer players. More players in the intervention teams used condoms consistently (66% vs 41%), more reported self-efficacy in using condoms, and HIV testing rates increased.  

In 2005, The Latino community living in the United States had the second highest rate of AIDS diagnoses of all racial and ethnic groups. They accounted for 20% of the new AIDS cases reported – almost four times greater than for non-Latino Whites. They also had higher rates of reportable STDs. In 2003, the rates of gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis were each 2-4 times higher among Latinos. In 2004, HIV and STD infection rates for Latinos in North Carolina were 3-4 times higher.

The overall goal was to reduce the risk of HIV and STD infection. This was achieved through increased condom use and increased access to counseling, testing and treatment services. Community–based participatory research (CBPR) was used to inform the intervention. Key barriers included access to relevant information, embarrassment, and negative socio-cultural expectations of men.

Organizers then selected and recruited 30 soccer teams and randonly divided them into 15 intervention and 15 control teams. Each team chose one trusted peer player to be a ‘Navegante’. HoMBReS trained these Navegantes to provide education and prevention information, and service and resource referrals to their teammates. The Navegantes served as sources of information and referral, and as opinion leaders to change risky behavioural norms. They ran team meetings using HoMBRes resources at the soccer facility, either before or after practice.

HoMBRes measured its impacts through surveys.  It also asked each navegante to keep an activity log detailing the types of interactions and with whom. Organizers analyzed theselogs monthly for output monitoring and reporting purposes.

More players in the intervention teams used condoms consistently (66% vs 41%.) And more reported self-efficacy to use condoms (55% vs 37%). HIV testing rates also increased.

This record summarizes a full length case study accessible at no cost on the Tools of Change website at https://toolsofchange.com/en/case-studies/detail/678.

Rural central North Carolina, USA.

AIDS, CBPR, Community–Based Participatory Research, Condom, Latino, Safe Sex, Sex, Soccer, STD