By engaging with the barbershop community, researchers aim to destigmatize HIV care services and improve HIV prevention in a trusted and culturally relevant setting.
About 1.1 million people are living with HIV in the United States. After years of decline in the number of new HIV cases, that trend has slowed, with the number of annual new cases remaining the same since 2013. Studies also show that most new infections are spread by people who are aware of their status and are virally unsuppressed. Early diagnosis, rapid HIV treatment, protecting those at risk, and rapid response to HIV clusters are the keys to preventing its spread.
Black individuals, especially those living in the South, are disproportionately affected by the condition. Tennessee (TN) has the lowest rates of establishing new HIV patients with HIV care, at 64%, according to 2018 data, and 62% viral suppression vs. 95% nationally. Engaging with the community and providing disease education are key to preventing HIV disparities and improving outcomes.
This study, published in the American Journal of Men’s Health, explores the role of barbershops in providing HIV-related information to Black men in TN.
HIV Prevention and Barbershops in the South
This HIV prevention study deployed an academic–community partnership strategy. Health experts realized that barbershops have a special place in the Black community. Hence, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) experts engaged with barbershops to provide HIV prevention education to the community. Infectious disease specialists from VUMC partnered with 13 barbershops for HIV disease education and prevention. HIV education was provided to barbers, and researchers used questionnaires and discussion groups to identify HIV-related knowledge pre- and post-HIV education and assess HIV-related stigma among the participants.
During interaction with barbers, experts identified a few barriers to accessing general health care as well as HIV-related care, including HIV-related stigma, fear evoked by “HIV” and “AIDS,” difficulty overcoming stereotypes, social norms against seeking healthcare, and poor communication. The study found that after receiving educational materials, barbers demonstrated a higher level of confidence in overcoming barriers and reducing HIV-associated stigma.
VUMC specialists say that barbershops are an underutilized resource for disseminating HIV-related education and that, considering the enthusiasm of barbers and their special role in the community, they are confident that they can play a vital role in HIV prevention and overcoming the stigma. Barbers participating in the study especially stressed the need to destigmatize HIV care services.
This was one of the first studies to consider engaging barbershops in addressing barriers to HIV care. However, it had limitations in that barbershops play an important role only in specific urban centers and did not include barbershop patrons.
The Bottom Line
Using barbershops is an innovative approach to designing HIV prevention services and represents an untapped opportunity. Barbershops are trusted in Black communities and can help spread information and reduce HIV fear and stigmatization.
Source:
Nwakoby, C., Pierce, L., Crawford, R. J., Conserve, D. F., Perkins, J. M., Hurt, S., & Ahonkhai, A. A. (2023). Establishing an Academic–Community partnership to explore the potential of barbers and barbershops in the Southern United States To address racial disparities in HIV care outcomes for Black men living with HIV. American Journal of Men’s Health, 17(1), 155798832311521. https://doi.org/10.1177/15579883231152114
