EVALUATION OF THE PARTNERSHIP FOR INTERVENTION AND EMPOWERMENT (PIE) PROJECT

HIV/AIDS has become a major public health concern in the United States over the past 35 years and when paired with substance abuse, specifically intravenous drug use, the co-occurrence can have a significant impact on the risk of HIV infection. Health issues related to HIV and substance abuse do not exclusively affect one specific demographic; however, evidence shows that the concurrence and spread are more prevalent in the economically and socially deprived, mainly low-income black communities, than in areas with higher incomes and a lower minority population. Programs, such as the PATF in Allegheny County, developed the Partnership for Intervention and Empowerment (PIE) for populations at risk for the co-occurrence of HIV infections and substance abuse. The purpose of this paper is to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of PIE during the first year of implementation into the target communities. Conclusions from this paper were drawn to determine that incorporating "best practice" factors into the study design of behavioral interventions would greatly enhance the applicability of an intervention program in specific communities. The public health significance of this thesis is to identify program planning strategies that would provide information and/or access to appropriate clinical care for individuals who test positive for HIV/AIDS. Developing strategies to counteract the disparity in access to care is paramount in addressing the plight of black populations living in low-income housin