Adapting a Family-Based HIV Prevention Program for Homeless Youth and Their Families: The HIV Prevention Outreach for Parents and Early Adolescents Family Program

Abstract

As rates of HIV infection increase in adolescents, it is important to provide prevention programs targeting this population. Homeless adolescents living with their families in shelters are at greater risk of participating in risky sexual behavior and incurring negative health outcomes. A family-based HIV-prevention pilot study was conducted with eight homeless families in a New York City shelter to explore (1) the perceived impact of family communication, parental monitoring, family understanding of puberty, sexually transmitted diseases, and HIV on preventing risky behavior for the participating youths and (2) the feasibility of conducting such a program within the shelter system. Qualitative and quantitative results indicate increased family communication, parental monitoring, and decreased parental depressive symptoms.

KEYWORDS:

• Homeless
• youth
• families
• HIV prevention
• community collaboration

Notes

Funding from the NIMH Research on AIDS (RO1 MH63622), which supports the CHAMP Community Collaborative Board, is gratefully recognized, along with HELP Morris Kips Bay Tier II Shelter. The authors also acknowledge the significant contributions of the HOPE Committee and participating families.