title: A case study in collaborating with Atlanta-based African-American churches: a promising means for reaching inner-city substance users with rapid HIV testing.
abstract: This case study examined programmatic data from a federally funded faith-based rapid HIV testing initiative. In 2004, Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Inc. (RCA, Inc.) began providing rapid HIV testing in collaboration with six Atlanta-based African-American churches. Of the 1,947 persons tested from January 2004 to July 2005, 1,872 (96.1%) were African-American, 1,247 (64%) were male, and 1,612 (82.8%) were between the age of 26 and 56. A total of 85 HIV-infected individuals were identified and 72 were identified as previously undiagnosed cases (positivity rate of 3.7%). This case study highlights and promotes rapid HIV testing offered in partnership with African American churches as a strategy for raising HIV awareness among inner-city substance users.
authors.affiliation: Recovery Consultants of Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia 30316, USA.
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Whiters
authors.forename: Scott
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Santibanez
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dennison
authors.forename: H Westley
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Clark
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D002947:Cities; D003153:Community Health Services / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D003299:Cooperative Behavior; D005260:Female; D005845:Georgia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019982:Organizational Case Studies; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012068:Religion and Medicine; D012309:Risk-Taking; D019966:Substance-Related Disorders