First Impressions: STD Education

FIRST IMPRESSIONS™

First Impressions provides education on HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis C, and other sexually transmitted diseases in tattoo and piercing salons.

First Impressions™ is a groundbreaking program that enlists the active support of tattoo and body piercing salon operators to deliver educational information on sexually transmitted diseases and HIV. Based on the Black Pearls/Different Fades of Health model, First Impressions™ makes videos, educational literature and condoms available to salon customers.

"What's important about First Impressions is that we are able to reach young people in an environment where they're comfortable," said Ruth Browne, CEO of AAIUH.

Barbershop and Tattoo Salon-based Programs

Different Fades of Health™
The New York City Council and Pfizer's Helpful Answers Program recently funded education on diabetes as part of an ongoing Institute program to inform men about chronic conditions such as heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer and prevention of sexually transmitted diseases. Initiated in 1997 in ten Brooklyn barbershops, the program, which has now recruited over 40 participating barbershops, uses innovative grassroots strategies to engage men's interest and encourage them to seek health screening and advocate for healthier communities.

Building Prostate Cancer Awareness
The National Cancer Institute funded research to examine prostate cancer information needs and communications styles of barbers and the prostate cancer control information base, motivation needs, information receptivity styles and behavioral changes characteristics of a sample of black men served by barbershops in three Brooklyn communities. A training curriculum was developed for barbers to support and promote their role as messengers and advocates for the prostate health of their customers.

Barbershop Talk
The Institute in partnership with SUNY Downstate Medical Center, has been funded by the Center of Disease Control and Prevention to develop an HIV/AIDS program for heterosexual African American men. The program is a barbershop-based intervention to reach men in Brooklyn with risk-reduction messages.

ACCESS
The Langeloth Foundation funded a three-year initiative  to increase  access to community health services for previously incarcerated individuals and their families. This program will be conducted in beauty salons and barbershops. Sharing project findings with prison professionals in discharge planning will assist them in  preparing prisoners for re-entry.