Background:
In addition to being places of worship, religious organizations have long held the tradition of "ministering" to the sick and poor within their congregations and surrounding communities. Since the beginning of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, many religious organizations have provided a variety of programs and services to their congregants and people living with HIV/AIDS, while others have yet to respond. However, there has not been any systematic attempt to measure the nature and extent to which religious organizations provide HIV-related programs and services.

Objective:
To determine the extent to which religious organizations in Miami and Jacksonville, Florida provide HIV-related programs and services within their congregation, community and/or internationally.

Method:
During the spring of 2005, more than 1,770 surveys were mailed to religious leaders (ministers, pastors, priests, rabbis, etc.) in Miami and Jacksonville, Florida. Telephone interviews were also conducted with a random sample of religious leaders.

Result:
Less than five percent (n=85) of religous leaders in Miami and Jacksonville completed the survey. Among those who did respond, 64% reported that their congregation provided educational programs and/or services to address HIV/AIDS. Significant differences were reported in the nature and extent to which HIV-related programs and services were provided based on religious leaders' race/ethnicity; with Black religious leaders providing more educational programs and services than White religious leaders.

Conclusion:
Black religious leaders in Miami and Jacksonville were more likely than White religious leaders to report that HIV/AIDS was a problem in their communities and to provide HIV-related programs and services.

Implications:
Getting religious leaders to complete a survey regarding HIV/AIDS was extremely challenging. Additional research utilizing different research strategies should be conducted to determine the extent to which religious organizations are (or are not) addressing HIV/AIDS.