The authors conducted an investigation of perceptions of outreach worker credibility using the social network members (N = 20) of indigenous outreach workers in an HIV/AIDS prevention intervention. The network members included in the study received semistructured interviews following the program’s completion. Outreach workers who were not actively using illicit drugs were more likely to be described as credible than were those who were using drugs. In general, drug use negatively affected perceptions of credibility via damaged trust in the outreach worker’s relationship with his or her network member. Results indicate the complexity of using indigenous drug users as outreach workers, the potential negative perceptions concerning hypocritical behavior, and the need to evaluate social interventions from the standpoint of indirect participants.
Ashery, R. S. (1993). Nontraditional employees: Indigenous outreach workers employed as AIDS educators for street addicts. Journal of Community Psychology, 21, 200-209.
2.
Avants, S. K., Warburton, L. A., Hawkins, K. A., & Margolin, A. (2000). Continuation of high-risk behavior by HIV-positive drug users: Treatmentimplications. Journal of Substance Abuse Treatment, 19, 15-22.
3.
Broadhead, R. S., Heckathorn, D. D., Weakliem, D. L., Anthony, D. L., Madray, H., Mills, R. J., et al. (1998). Harnessing peer networks as an instrument for AIDS prevention: Results form a peer-driven intervention. Public Health Reports, 113(1), 42-57.
4.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2002). Cases by exposure category. Retrieved November 23, 2004, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/stats.htm%23exposure
5.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for HIV, STD, and TB Prevention. (2002). Fact sheet—HIV/AIDS among African Americans. Retrieved November 23, 2004, from http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/pubs/facts/afam.htm
6.
Cheney, R., & Merwin, A. (1996). Integrating a theoretical framework with street outreach services: Issues for successful training. Public Health Reports, 3(Suppl. 1), 83-88.
7.
Dearing, J. W., Rogers, E. M., Meyers, G., Casey, M. K., Rao, N., Campo, S., et al. (1996). Social marketing and diffusion-based strategies for communicating with unique populations: HIV prevention in San Francisco. Journal of Health Communication, 1, 343-363.
8.
DiClemente, R. J., & Peterson, J. L. (Eds.). (1994). Preventing AIDS: Theories and methods of behavioral interventions. New York: Plenum.
9.
Doherty, M. C., Garfein, R. S., Monterroso, E., Brown, D., & Vlahov, D. (2000). Correlates of HIV infection among young adult short-term injection drug users. AIDS, 14, 717-726.
10.
Dowsett, G. W. (1993). Sustaining safe sex: Sexual practices, HIV andsocial context. AIDS, 7(1), 257-262.
11.
Ferrence, R. (2001). Diffusion theory and drug use. Addictions, 96, 165-173.
12.
Festinger, L. (1954). A theory of social comparison processes. Human Relations, 7, 117-140.
13.
Fisher, J. D., Misovich, S. J., Kimble, D. L., & Weinstein, B. (1999). Dynamics of HIV risk behavior in HIV-infected injection drug users. AIDS and Behavior, 3(1), 41-57.
14.
Giesbrecht, N., Krempulec, L., & West, P. (1993). Community-based prevention research to reduce alcohol-related problems. Alcohol and Health Research World, 17(1), 84-88.
15.
Graham, J. W., Marks, G., & Hansen, W. B. (1991). Social influence affecting adolescent substance use. Journal of Applied Psychology, 76(2), 291-298.
16.
Hartwell, S. (2003). Deviance over the life course: The case of homeless substance abusers. Substance Use & Misuse, 38(3-6), 475-502.
17.
Latkin, C. A. (1998). Outreach in natural settings: The use of peer leaders for HIV prevention among injection drug networks. Public Health Reports, 113, 151-159.
18.
Latkin, C. A., & Knowlton, A. R. (2000). New directions in HIV prevention among drug users—Settings, norms, and network approaches to AIDS prevention (SNNAAP): A social influence approach. Advances in Medical Sociology, 7, 261-288.
19.
McGuire, W. J. (1966). Attitudes and opinions. Annual Review of Psychology, 17, 475-514.
20.
Morse, J. M. (1991). Approaches to qualitative-quantitative methodological triangulation. Nursing Research, 40(1), 120-123.
21.
Myers, D. G. (1999). Persuasion. In D. O. Sears, Social psychology (6th ed., pp. 251-289). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
22.
Petty, R. E., & Wegener, D. T. (1998). Attitude change: Multiple roles for persuasion variables. In D. T. Gilbert, S. T. Fiske, & G. Lindzey (Eds.), Handbook of social psychology (4th ed., Vol. 1, pp. 323-390). Boston: McGraw-Hill.
23.
Reifman, A., Barnes, G., Dintchieff, B. A., Farrell, M. P., & Uhteg, L. (1998). Parental andpeer influences on the outset of heavier drinking among adolescents. Journal of Studies on Alcohol, 5, 311-317.
24.
Rhodes, T. (1993). Time for community change: What has outreach to offer?Addiction, 88, 1317-1320.
25.
Sherman, S. G., & Latkin, C. A. (1999). Aqualitative exploratory study of injection drug users’ participation in a long-term epidemiological study of HIV. AIDS and Behavior, 3(4), 289-299.
26.
Sieving, R. E., Perry, C. L., & Williams, C. L. (2000). Do friendships change behaviors, or do behaviors changefriendships?: Examiningpathsof influence in young adolescents’ alcohol use. Journal of Adolescent Health, 26(1), 27-35.
27.
Stacy, A. W., Newcomb, M. D., & Bentler, P. M. (1992). Interactive and higher-order effects of social influences on drug use. Journal of Health and Social Behavior, 33, 226-241.
28.
Stimson, G. V., Eaton, G., Rhodes, T., & Power, R. (1994). Potential development of community oriented HIV outreach among drug injectors in the UK. Addiction, 89, 1601-1611.
29.
Strauss, A., & Corbin, J. (1990). Basics of qualitative research: Grounded theory procedures and techniques. Newbury Park, CA: Sage.
30.
Weiss, R. S. (1994). Learning from strangers: The art and methodof qualitative interview studies. New York: Free Press.
31.
Wiebel, W. W., Jimenez, A., Johnson, W., Ouellet, L., Jovanovic, B., Lampinen, T., et al. (1996). Risk behavior and HIV seroincidence among out-of-treatment injection drug users: A four-year prospective study. Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes and Human Retrovirology, 12(3), 282-289.
32.
Wittenbrink, B., & Henly, J. R. (1996). Creating social reality: Informational social influence and the content of stereotypic beliefs. Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, 22(6), 598-610.
