Collaborative Process Evaluation: Enhancing Community Relevance and Cultural Appropriateness in HIV Prevention

Process evaluations provide multiple opportunities to improve prevention and intervention programs that benefit communities experiencing oppression and marginalization. In order to thwart the negative effects of power and privilege, it is essential that collaborative partnerships with community-based organizations (CBOs) incorporate the voices, experiences, and skills of community members. This article presents a process evaluation that was collaboratively developed and implemented by a team consisting of members from an HIV/AIDS-related CBO and a university. The process evaluation was guided by an empowerment evaluation theoretical framework and utilized elements of narrative ethnography. The methods for the evaluation were developed to ensure cultural appropriateness, community sensitivity, and scientific rigor. Modifications made to the CBO's HIV prevention programs for Latina female adolescents and gay/bisexual/questioning Latino and African-American male adolescents incorporated specific social, cultural, and environmental factors that impact HIV risk. The multiple benefits gained by those involved in the evaluation are detailed and emphasize the importance of conducting collaborative process evaluations when developing interventions for oppressed and marginalized communities.