Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-78c5997874-94fs2 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-09T14:17:30.783Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

seven - Sexual health outreach – a case study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 September 2022

Jane South
Affiliation:
Leeds Beckett University
Judy White
Affiliation:
Leeds Beckett University
Get access

Summary

There is a long tradition of using peer-based interventions in sexual health promotion, particularly in relation to HIV/AIDS prevention ( Janz et al, 1996; Medley et al, 2009). This chapter presents findings from a case study of a sexual health outreach project that worked within the gay community to promote uptake of sexual health screening services. Volunteers were involved in supporting a community-based screening service for men who have sex with men and undertook peer education in gay bars and clubs. This small sexual health outreach project is of interest not only because it illustrates lay involvement within a community of identity rather than place, but also because it highlights some interesting issues about boundaries, roles and relationships within a community where health inequalities arise from stigmatisation and marginalisation of health needs (Daley, 2006). The chapter evidences some good practice in relation to support, training and development throughout the volunteer journey. The chapter starts by giving a brief overview of peer education approaches to promote sexual health within lesbian, gay, bisexual and transsexual (LGBT) communities.

Peer education in sexual health

Peer education methods and related approaches are used as the basis for sexual health promotion interventions, predominantly around prevention of sexually transmitted infections (STIs). It is argued that peers, sharing a common identity with the ‘target community’, will be able to communicate directly by using a common language and individuals will be more receptive to health messages from people who are perceived to share social norms, attitudes and experiences (Hart, 1998; Parkin and McKeganey, 2000). For public health, a further justification is the ability of peers to reach communities that are marginalised or underserved (McQuiston and Uribe, 2001). There is some evidence of effectiveness in relation to increased knowledge of HIV (Medley et al, 2009), condom use (Grinstead et al, 1999) and uptake of sexual health services (Williamson et al, 2001). Peer educators may be able to overcome barriers related to the sensitive or even taboo nature of some sexual behaviours, for example, distributing information in ‘public sex environments’ (French et al, 2000). However, in a peer-based intervention for male escorts, the issue of confidentiality was found to be a concern for men, some of whom suggested that due to embarrassment, ‘outsiders’ might, in fact, be a more appropriate source of information (Ziersch et al, 2000).

Type
Chapter
Information
Publisher: Bristol University Press
Print publication year: 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×