An Exploration of Faith Leaders’ Beliefs Concerning HIV Prevention: Thirty Years Into the Epidemic

Despite the growing body of research on faith-based human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) initiatives, there are few studies exploring the perspective of faith leaders involved in HIV prevention efforts. This exploratory study examined how 29 faith leaders conceptualized key aspects of HIV prevention. Sexual health beliefs, perspectives on condom distribution, and facilitating factors and barriers to implementing an HIV program were explored. Seventy-six percent of participants agreed with the statement “they would be willing to make condoms available to adolescents.” These findings highlight the importance of reconciling any differences between religious doctrine, leadership role, and beliefs of faith leaders in addressing HIV in churches.