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Black Women in PrEP initiative expands outreach and clinical training to close awareness gaps
Summary
Jackie Bickham and community ambassadors described the Black Women in PrEP (BWAP) initiative'launched 2019'which uses ambassadors, social media, a jingle, OBGYN resident training and TelePrEP resources to increase awareness of PrEP among Black women; presenters called for expanding training to nurse practitioners and other providers.
Jackie Bickham, prevention program manager for the STI/HIV/Hepatitis program, and several community ambassadors told the commission on Oct. 8 that the Black Women in PrEP (BWAP) initiative aims to raise awareness (not coerce uptake) of HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis among Black women through community ambassadors, social media and clinician training.
Bickham described BWAP's origins in 2019 and partnership with researchers at Duke University and LSU Health Sciences Center. She said focus groups identified two major barriers: Black cisgender women rarely knew someone like them taking PrEP, and clinicians often did not offer PrEP during routine care. "We were not telling Black women to take PrEP. We were making sure that Black women were aware that it existed," Bickham said.
Program tactics include ambassador conversations tied to distribution of materials (recipients must have a conversation before receiving swag), palm cards with QR codes linking to "LA Health Hub" resources and TelePrEP referral portals, a social-media campaign called "Start the Conversation," a culturally tailored jingle used in New Orleans outreach, and OBGYN resident training that integrates anti-racism content so clinicians understand historical mistrust.
Ambassadors and influencers who spoke at the meeting described mobile testing, street outreach and clinic advocacy to encourage comprehensive STI screening and patient self-advocacy. Community ambassadors include Shan Graham (Region 2 community health worker), Deirdre Jesse Hill (adolescent health/prevention coordinator, New Orleans ambassador), Erica Boseman (influencer), Demetri Blacher (community outreach veteran), and Tamasha Davenport (commissioner and BWAP ambassador), all of whom provided short testimonials about engagement strategies.
Graduate nursing students in attendance asked whether BWAP targets providers beyond OBGYN; Bickham said the initial focus was OBGYN residents because the program began with annual OBGYN visits and the group's research partnerships, but she agreed expansion to nurse practitioners and primary-care clinicians is feasible with funding and research support.
What's next: BWAP plans to reinvigorate ambassador training across regions 2—9, expand OBGYN/resident training to more hospitals, scale TelePrEP and data apps, and share evaluation findings from their social-media campaign when available. Commissioners encouraged continued collaboration to expand provider training and public awareness.
