Advancing HIV/AIDS prevention among American Indians through capacity building and the community readiness model.
Although HIV/AIDS prevention has presented challenges over the past 25 years, prevention does work! To be most effective, however, prevention must be specific to the culture and the nature of the community. Building the capacity of a community for prevention efforts is not an easy process. If capacity is to be sustained, it must be practical and utilize the resources that already exist in the community. Attitudes vary across communities; resources vary, political climates are constantly varied and changing. Communities are fluid-always changing, adapting, growing. They are "ready" for different things at different times. Readiness is a key issue! This article presents a model that has experienced a high level of success in building community capacity for effective prevention/intervention for HIV/AIDS and offers case studies for review. The Community Readiness Model provides both quantitative and qualitative information in a user-friendly structure that guides a community through the process of understanding the importance of the measure of readiness. The model identifies readiness- appropriate strategies, provides readiness scores for evaluation, and most important, involves community stakeholders in the process. The article will demonstrate the importance of developing strategies consistent with readiness levels for more cost-effective and successful prevention efforts.
Thurman
Pamela Jumper
PJ
Center for Applied Studies in American Ethnicity, Colorado State University, Ft Collins 80523, USA. pjthurman@aol.com
Vernon
Irene S
IS
Plested
Barbara
B
D002487:Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, U.S.; D018672:Community Health Planning / Q000458:organization & administration*; D018864:Cultural Diversity; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D005380:Financing, Government; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000208:ethnology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology*; D006290:Health Planning Technical Assistance; D006303:Health Services, Indigenous / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007198:Indians, North American / Q000193:education; D017146:Models, Organizational; D010043:Outcome and Process Assessment, Health Care; D011314:Preventive Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011635:Public Health Administration; D040241:Social Marketing; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology