Mpowerment
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
The goals of Mpowerment are to mobilize young gay and bisexual men, ages 18-29, to reduce sexual risk taking, encourage regular HIV testing, and build positive social connections with peers.
Mpowerment is a community level intervention that began in San Francisco and is now being used all around the nation and beyond. Each branch of the program must follow Mpowerment’s seven core elements and consider using an eighth element. The elements state that various aspects of the project are required: 1) a core group and volunteers, 2) a knowledgeable project coordinator, 3) a safe and comfortable project space, 4) formal outreach, 5) informal outreach, 6) M-groups that address issues important to the target population, 7) a publicity campaign, and, as an option, 8) a community advisory board.
Mpowerment is a community level intervention that began in San Francisco and is now being used all around the nation and beyond. Each branch of the program must follow Mpowerment’s seven core elements and consider using an eighth element. The elements state that various aspects of the project are required: 1) a core group and volunteers, 2) a knowledgeable project coordinator, 3) a safe and comfortable project space, 4) formal outreach, 5) informal outreach, 6) M-groups that address issues important to the target population, 7) a publicity campaign, and, as an option, 8) a community advisory board.
Goal / Mission
The goals of Mpowerment are to mobilize young gay and bisexual men to reduce sexual risk taking, encourage regular HIV testing, and build positive social connections with peers.
Impact
The Mpowerment intervention successfully developed a mechanism to socialize young gay men to safer sex. Since this intervention relies primarily on volunteers, it is relatively inexpensive for communities to maintain and can continue to be made available for future generations.
Results / Accomplishments
The results of one study on Mpowerment showed that members of the community who had received the Mpowerment intervention had significant decreases in any unprotected anal intercourse (p<0.05), unprotected anal intercourse with non-primary partners (p<0.05), and unprotected anal intercourse with a boyfriend (p<0.05). The control community showed no such decreases.
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies - University of California, San Francisco
Primary Contact
Ben Zovod
UCSF Mailcode 0886
550 16th Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94158-2549
415-476-6428
Benjamin.Zovod@ucsf.edu
http://www.mpowerment.org/
UCSF Mailcode 0886
550 16th Street, 3rd Floor
San Francisco, CA 94158-2549
415-476-6428
Benjamin.Zovod@ucsf.edu
http://www.mpowerment.org/
Topics
Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Health / Prevention & Safety
Health / Prevention & Safety
Organization(s)
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies - University of California, San Francisco
Source
CDC Effective Interventions
Date of publication
1996
Geographic Type
Urban
Location
San Francisco, CA
For more details
Target Audience
Men
Additional Audience
young gay and bisexual men