A Model for HIV Risk Reduction and Prevention among African American College Students

Training African American student leaders as peer educator-mentors to reach African American students in the traditional workshop setting as well as in informal, one-to-one occasions is an effective method of managing students' risks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. The Ujima project, developed and implemented by Syracuse University Health Services, trained educator-mentors to provide first-year African American students with correct information about HIV risk reduction and how to build life skills associated with prevention that enhance self-esteem and provide ongoing social support on formal and informal occasions in a culturally sensitive manner. These strategies were successful in changing knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors necessary for HIV prevention among African American college students.