Panic at the Church: The Use of Frames, Social Problems, and Moral Panics in the Formation of an AIDS Social Movement Organization

This article examines how frames and moral panics are used to attract attention to public health issues. This research posits that once a health social movement organization frames their contested issue as a social problem, a moral panic is created to initiate a reaction on the part of the movement\u27s target audience. A case study of the development of The Balm in Gilead, an AIDS awareness program that targets the Black Church, is used to illustrate how frames and moral panics are employed. Data consists of interviews with Black Church leaders, AIDS activists, and employees at The Balm in Gilead (BG). Findings suggest that creating a moral panic among Black Church leaders was vital to the movement\u27s success