Red Ribbon Question Mark HIV Testing Campaign

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Community Outreach

In addition to using mass-media to promote testing for HIV, the campaign has involved several local community outreach activities including: the Campaign Launch at Mondawmin Mall, the People’s Expo at the Baltimore Convention Center, Center for Addiction and Pregnancy HIV Testing Day Outreach Campaign, the Baltimore Times Quality of Life Health Festival and the 92Q FM Radio Stone Soul Picnic. Through these activities, the Red Ribbon Question Mark Campaign was responsible for 193 people getting tested on-site at these events, and influencing many others to seek testing later.

The data below describes the major events in detail:

Radio One People’s Expo (April 29-30, 2000)
Baltimore Convention Center

The People’s Expo is an annual two-day community event organized by the Radio One group of stations. The 2000 People’s Expo was held on April 29-30 at the Baltimore Convention Center, and it featured over ten local and national musical performers and over 200 exhibitors ranging from local merchants to health maintenance organizations. It attracted a two-day attendance of over 30,000 people, mostly African Americans living in Baltimore City. Radio One (especially WERQ 92.3 FM "92Q") has been involved with the Red Ribbon Question Mark campaign since its launch in December 1999. Because 92Q is the most popular radio station among the campaign’s focus audiences (most-listened-to by a 3:1 margin), the People’s Expo provided a good forum for obtaining direct feedback.

JHU/CCP and the Maryland AIDS Administration participated in the People’s Expo in order to heighten campaign exposure and conduct an evaluation of the campaign’s effectiveness. The JHU/CCP Red Ribbon Question Mark campaign booth was situated on a busy aisle next to the Maryland AIDS Administration’s booth in the Baltimore Convention Center. The booth was decorated with balloons and featured a banner containing examples of the two poster advertisements. As Expo attendees approached the booth, campaign Program Coordinators
wearing Red Ribbon Question Mark T-shirts and buttons asked them to answer a short, confidential and anonymous questionnaire about the campaign. Participants were rewarded with a pen, T-shirt or coffee mug for completing the questionnaire.

HIV Counselors from the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic at the Johns Hopkins University Hospital were present at the booth to conduct confidential free HIV testing. Two counselors performed 63 free HIV tests by saliva in the 6.5 hours testing was available at the People’s Expo.

C.A.P. Program HIV Testing Outreach Event
A Community Service event with the HIV Red Ribbon Question Mark Campaign
June 13-27, 2000

Using the campaign design and resources, the Red Ribbon Question Mark Campaign supported the efforts of the Center for Addiction and Pregnancy Program (C.A.P.) in a community outreach event in recognition of HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2000. Approximately 50 members of the C.A.P. Program walked the streets of their Baltimore Communities talking to people about HIV/AIDS and encouraged them to get tested. The members provided households with a door hanger printed with the campaign logo and the First Call for Help Hotline number for questions about HIV/AIDS and testing site referrals. The C.A.P. participants were rewarded with and wore the following Red Ribbon Question Mark embossed items: a T-shirt, a bib for their child, and buttons. The outreach took place from June 13 through HIV Testing Day, June 27, 2000.

The C.A.P. Program (Center for Addiction and Pregnancy) is a comprehensive drug treatment program for pregnant women and new mothers run at Hopkins Bayview Hospital. There are a total of approximately 80 enrolled members, with 50 of these members who participate actively. The majority of the members are currently in methadone treatment, and it is estimated that nearly 40% of the members are seropositive for HIV. The program lasts from six weeks up to two years and is run daily. In addition to the drug treatment regimen, members of the program are enrolled in a variety of other educational services including family planning classes, work skills training, and HIV/AIDS education.

The Baltimore Times Eighth Annual Health Expo
A Quality of Life Family Festival
Mondawmin Mall * June 3, 2000

The Red Ribbon Question Mark Campaign was present at the health festival in the Mondawmin Mall located in West Baltimore. The festival featured many health screenings including those for blood pressure, cholesterol, glucose, pregnancy, PSA, and sickle cell. People gathered at the mall to obtain free health screenings, enjoy some local music entertainment, and meet Peter Parros, Dr. Ben Harris of "As the World Turns".

During the day, the campaign community communication coordinator talked with mall attendees and the Baltimore Times about the Red Ribbon Question Mark Campaign and the importance of HIV testing. Free condoms and information regarding HIV/AIDS, testing sites, and STDs were made available at the campaign table in the mall. Two counselors from the Obstetrics and Gynecology clinic at the Johns Hopkins University tested approximately 43 people in 4 hours at the Health Expo.

The Stone Soul Picnic
Druid Hill Park, Baltimore
August 19, 2000

The Stone Soul Picnic, held on August 19, 2000 at Druid Hill Park in downtown Baltimore, Maryland attracted over 200,000 people to enjoy a free music festival sponsored by Radio One's 92 Q. The event featured many well-known artists including gospel singer Yolanda Adams. The Saturday picnic brought people together of all ages for a day of great weather, food, and music. Local businesses and organizations were showcased at the event and provided relevant information to the public.

The Red Ribbon Question Mark Campaign attended the event with three HIV counselors from Johns Hopkins OB/Clinic to offer free HIV testing. In five hours, counselors were able to test 58 people as well as provide free HIV/AIDS counseling services. Limited space allowed for only two counselors to conduct testing at a time, so many people who were interested in testing were referred to a local testing site. In addition, thousands of people got information and encouragement to go get tested. A future recommendation is to work together more closely with event planners so accommodations can allow for more readily available and prompt testing. Through these entertainment events, campaign coordinators have realized the importance of on-the-spot testing for HIV.

Live Long. Live Strong. Get Tested. Get Treatment.
Developed for the Maryland AIDS Administration (DHMH)
by the Johns Hopkins University/Center for Communication Programs (JHU/CCP)

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