Researcher(s):
- Melinda Valenzuela
- Bethany L. Backes, PhD, MSW, MPH
- Maureen Nichols, BA
- Tymothy Belseth, MA
- Laura Dannenmaier, LCSW
- Sandra Vanegas, Ph.D.
- Christian Vazquez
- Chun Liu
- Lisa S. Panisch
- Kristian Jones
- Dixie Hairston, MSSW
- Kyndal Hammock
- Melissa Stewart
- Braden Latham-Jones
- Jolynne Batchelor, PhD, LCSW
- Sean Kopaniasz
- Sandy Magaña, Ph.D., MSW
- Ruben Parra-Cardona, Ph.D.
- Aubrey Tucker
- Leona Peterson
- Emmett Gill, Ph.D.
- Jim Bradley
- Swetha Nulu, MPH
- Peter Arellano
- Mark Kramer
- Erin Spalding, LCSW
- Jameson Lee Cardenas
- Janice Jerome
- Louise Hanks
- Derek Falk
- Swathi Reddy, LMSW
- Jaimie O’Gara
- Chris Paine
- Audrey Hang Hai
- Yong Ju Cho
- Hydeen Beverly, MSW
- Chelsea Arnold, LCSW
- Shetal Vohra-Gupta, Ph.D., MSW
- Mary (Maggy) McGiffert, M.A.
- Anna Wasim, LMSW
- Natalie Beck, DSW, LCSW
- Bob Ambrosino, Ph.D.
- T’Shana McClain
- Mercedes Hernandez, Ph.D., LCSW
- Alexander Wang
- Chris Burnett
- Kelly Vences
- Julieta Caamano
- Channing Spears, LMSW
- Jessica Lim, LMSW
- Wendy Brooks Kuhn
- Elizabeth Hutton, MS, LPC, NCC
- Deborah Sharp
- Dana Jones
- Alma Mena
- Holly Gursslin
- Kate McKerlie, MSSW, MPH
- Laura Stevens
- Min-Kyoung Rhee, Ph.D.
- Rachel Union, LCSW
- David McClung
- Tracy A. Levins, Ph.D.
- Melissa Torres, Ph.D., MSW
- John Sullivan
- David Snowden, LCSW
- Sehun Oh
- Catherine LaBrenz
- Peter Dell, LCSW
- Jen Currin-McCulloch
- Jennifer Banister
- Peteria Chan
- Juli M. Earley, LMSW
- Erica R. Shapiro, Ph.D.
- Noelle Suntheimer
- Lauren M. Alper, MSW
- Amy C. Lodge, Ph.D.
- Kristen A. Hogan
- Johanna Creswell Báez, Ph.D., LCSW
- Elaine Cavazos, LCSW
- Earley Ullrich, LCSW, RPT-S
- Jaclyn N. Sepp, MA, LPC, RPT, NCC
- Rosalie Ambrosino, Ph.D.
- Joan E. Asseff, LMSW
- Elisa V. Borah, Ph.D.
- Deborah Ann Cohen, Ph.D.
- John Luk, M.D.
- Sharon Hoefer, MSSW
- Cynthia Penwell, LCSW
- Anao Zhang, LCSW, ACSW, ACT
- Casey Walsh, LCSW
- Amy Thompson
- Hannah Szlyk, LCSW
- Katarzyna Olcon, LCSW
- Yeonwoo Kim
- Valerie Ringland
- Nate Marti, Ph.D.
- Margaret Hill, LCSW
- Farya Phillips, Ph.D., CCLS
- Tina Adkins, Ph.D.
- Terrence T. Allen, MSSA, Ph.D.
- Allan Hugh Cole Jr., Ph.D.
- Lauren E. Gulbas, Ph.D.
- Alba Sereno
- Front Desk
- Glenn Dembowski
- Shannon Mann-Butler
- Julia Cuba-Lewis
- Caitlin Sulley, LMSW
- Zaccheus J. Ahonle, Ph.D., CRC
- Sharon Lee, LCSW
- Toni Moreno
- Arlette Vila
- Jelena Todic
- Ahmed Whitt, Ph.D.
- Jennifer Silva, LCSW
- Rosamaria Murillo, Ph.D., LMSW
- Tianca Crocker
- Diane McDaniel Rhodes, Ph.D.
- Esther J. Calzada, Ph.D.
- David W. Springer, Ph.D., LCSW
- Angela M. Nonaka, Ph.D.
- Amanda N. Barczyk, Ph.D., MSW
- Alisa Hernandez
- Octavio N Martinez, MD
- Mary Beer, LCSW
- Dede Sparks, LMSW
- Sarah Sloan, LCSW
- Yuri Jang, Ph.D.
- Yessenia Castro, Ph.D.
- Susan M. De Luca, Ph.D.
- M. Andrea Campetella, Ph.D.
- Michele Murphy-Smith
- Laura Marra, LMSW
- Leila Wood, Ph.D., LMSW
- Stephanie L. Rivaux, Ph.D., LMSW
- Luis H. Zayas, Ph.D.
- Stacey Stevens Manser, Ph.D.
- Molly Lopez, Ph.D.
- Suzanne Potts, LMSW, MPH
- Lori Lewis-Conerly
- Beth Gerlach, Ph.D., LCSW
- Leslie W. Sirrianni, LCSW
- Sarah Swords, LCSW
- Kirk von Sternberg, Ph.D.
- Tanya Voss, MSSW
- Lynn Wallisch, Ph.D.
- Deborah Webb, Ph.D., LCSW, LPC, LCDC
- Laura E. Turner, MPAff
- Shane Whalley
- Christine Winston, LCSW
- Carrie Stephens
- Mitch Sudolsky, MSSW, LCSW
- Mary Velasquez, Ph.D.
- Lizet Villagrana
- Calvin L. Streeter, Ph.D.
- Geoff Treitel
- Linda Solomon
- Richard Spence, Ph.D.
- Jack Nowicki, LCSW
- Liz Nowicki, ACSW, LCSW
- Vicki Y. Packheiser, LCSW, ACSW
- Yolanda C. Padilla, Ph.D.
- Lana Pettit
- Beth C. Pomeroy, Ph.D.
- Anita Prewett, C.R.A.
- Michele A. Rountree, Ph.D.
- Clayton T. Shorkey, Ph.D., LCSW
- Russell Smith, LMSW
- Robin Smith, LCSW
- Jane Maxwell, Ph.D.
- Sarah McCafferty, LCSW
- Ruth G. McRoy, Ph.D.
- Sherry Melecki
- Aisol Casillas
- Arlene Montgomery, Ph.D.
- Andrea Montgomery
- Elizabeth Mueller, Ph.D.
- Mary K. Mulvaney
- Laura Jones-Swann
- Dina Kassler, Ph.D.
- Jane A. Kretzschmar, LCSW
- Noel Landuyt, Ph.D.
- Michael L. Lauderdale, Ph.D.
- Carol M. Lewis, Ph.D.
- Tammy Linseisen, LCSW, ACSW
- Jennifer Luna Jackson, MSSW
- Lori Mangrum
- Cynthia G. S. Franklin, Ph.D.
- Monica Rosario
- Ramon R. Gomez
- Jennifer Conrad-Graham, LMSW
- James Green
- Lori K. Holleran Steiker, Ph.D., ACSW
- Cossy Hough, LCSW
- Allyson Jervey
- Christine Johnson, LMSW, IPR
- Barbara L. Jones, Ph.D.
- Tom Bohman, Ph.D.
- Alexis D. George, M.S.Ed.
- Noël Busch-Armendariz, Ph.D., LMSW, MPA
- Namkee G. Choi, Ph.D.
- Patricia A. Cody, MSW, PhD
- Mary S. Cook, LMSW
- Catherine Cubbin, Ph.D.
- Julie Cunniff
- Diana M. DiNitto, Ph.D.
- Nicole Duson
- David Evans
- E. Suzanne Ewing
- Monica Faulkner, Ph.D., LMSW
- Rowena Fong, Ed.D.
- Barbara Anderson
- Marilyn Armour, Ph.D.
- Marian Mahaffey, LMSW-AP
- Susan Ayers-Lopez
- Margaret Bassett
Project Categories
Principal Investigator:
Dorie Gilbert, Ph.D.
Duration: 06/01/00 – 12/31/00
There is great concern regarding the disproportionate number of African Americans among AIDS cases in the U.S. While African Americans constitute only 13% of the U.S. population, they account for over 50% of AIDS cases. This is combined with an under-representation in utilization of AIDS services, including medical regimens that could prolong life expectancy. In response to this alarming trend, the Congressional Black Caucus (CBC) funded a number of cities across the U.S. to implement service outreach programs to African American communities. In Austin, these CBC funds were used to launch the BOSS (Brothers OR Sisters Support) Program to bring HIV-positive African Americans into HIV/AIDS care at an earlier stage of their illness. The BOSS Program utilizes Peer Supporters (other HIV-infected or affected persons of color) who provide culturally-appropriate outreach in targeted communities. Peer supporters act as “buddies” and provide emotional support to increase retention rates among African Americans receiving services. In addition, for six months, peer supporters utilized an informal, ethnographic approach to obtain information on demographic, attitudinal, and knowledge variables that may impact utilization of AIDS services for African Americans.
The Faculty Development Program at the University of Texas supported the analysis of the BOSS Program data. This study explores whether or not the Peer Supporter model is effective in helping to retain African Americans in HIV/AIDS services and analyzes the ethnographic interviews conducted by Peer Supporters. Findings suggest that the AIDS stigma within the community, lack of information, and mistrust of service providers are factors influencing non-engagement in services among the sample of 79 HIV-positive African Americans. Moreover, peer supporters are successful in nearly 75% of cases in helping to retain African American clients in services.
Sponsor:
Faculty Research Award, The University of Texas at Austin