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Getting the Lowdown on Wellness (GLOW)

A Substance Abuse & Mental Health Administration (SAMHSA) Project

What is GLOW?

Getting the Lowdown On Wellness (GLOW) is a peer health educator program for youth and young adults in the Bay Area's Alameda and Santa Clara Counties hosted by Asian Health Services and its partners at Asian Americans for Community Involvement (AACI).

GLOW follows the public health Train-the-Trainer Model, providing young people ages 13-24 years old with opportunities to contribute to the improvement of health in their communities and develop various transferrable skills that could be applied to multiple fields of study and sectors of work.  

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The GLOW program targets improvements in health behaviors that focus on:

  1. Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) / 
    Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) 

  2. Viral Hepatitis

  3. Substance Use 

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Since 2018, GLOW has been able to reach hundreds of teens and young adults in the Oakland and San Jose areas to provide appropriate education, medical services, and support to those who are interested in sexual and mental health. 

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*The GLOW program is made possible through the support of a grant provided by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Why does GLOW matter?

Data regarding the topics of HIV, hepatitis, and substance use pertaining to Asian American youth and other underserved youth of color is limited across the United States. When it is accessible to the public, disparities in health are observed.

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According to the Alameda County Public Health Department, in 2020, new HIV diagnoses were primarily in Oakland, San Leandro, and Hayward with youth ages 13-19 accounting for 3 per 100,000 people and those ages 20-29 accounting for 26.6 per 100,000. In Santa Clara County, new HIV diagnoses in the county were mainly in San Jose, and youth ages 13-24 accounted for 14.1 per 100,000 in 2018. Across these two counties, the populations most affected were Asian, Black, & Latinx. With ongoing transmission of HIV in communities of color, goals of addressing the epidemic through education, testing, and treatment services are important parts to how the GLOW program was formed.

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In regards to viral hepatitis, 2018 surveillance data from the US Department of Health and Human Services highlights that Asians are 50% of the population in the US living with chronic hepatitis B and that Asians are 8x more likely to die from hepatitis B than those who identify as White. Because of such high hepatitis rates, education, vaccination, and treatment services are also crucial in helping participants of GLOW promote better health within the East and South Bay communities.

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Additionally, according to data from the National Survey on Drug Use & Health from 2016-2020, the incidence rate ratio in Asian American use of alcohol, cocaine, and tranquilizing substances increased by  1.3x, 3x, and 17.2x in comparison to previous years (Yan, 2023). As young Asian Americans navigate systemic barriers, mental health stigmas, and recent Anti-Asian hate events, addressing substance use through education, support, and medical resources is a priority of the GLOW program. 

Trainings: An Outline

Training Day 1

  • GLOW Leaders Pre-Survey

  • Storyboard Presentation

  • Trivia on Infectious Disease & Substance Use Topics

  • Substance Use Training

    • ​Introduction to Substances​

    • How Substances Impact the Body

    • How Substance Use Affect Relationships and Communities

    • Harm Reduction Strategies & Resources

  • HIV/AIDS 

    • Introduction to HIV/AIDS ​

    • Transmission

    • PrEP & PEP

    • U=U

    • Harm Reduction Strategies & Resources

    • Practice: 1-on-1 Peer Education 

  • Viral Hepatitis

    • Introduction to Hepatitis​

    • Transmission

    • Impact of Hepatitis on the Body

    • Harm Reduction Strategies & Resources

  • Close Out

Training Day 2​​​​

  • Review: Day 1 Training Content 

  • Storyboard Practice​​

    • Pairs

    • Groups

  • Debrief

  • Training Feedback & Evaluation​

    • Training Feedback​

    • Comprehension of Topics

    • Revisit Resources

  • Post-Training Survey

  • Forming a Program Game Plan

    • Group Goals​

    • Role Delegation

    • Target Audience and Numbers

    • Opportunities

    • Pluses & Deltas

  • Close Out

Three Months Post Training​​​​

  • 3 Month Follow Up Survey
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Perspectives: GLOW Leader Reflections

In the 2022 booklet, "Feelin' Myself: Affirming Youth Power Against HIV/AIDS in the Yay Area!!!," several participants in the GLOW program share their reflections on the work they've conducted through the program. As peer educators and community members, they note critical topics in health that continuously  influence how Asian Health Services Youth Program improves its health education and medical services.

"I think education around AIDS/HIV is very important everywhere. But I
definitely agree it is a necessity in the Bay Area as most of us are right near
the port. There is a lot of sex trafficking around. With sex work, I feel that
we as youth need to be able to know the dangers of that work. The
education we address also applies to teens who are prone to wanting to
have sex. Not all but 1 is enough to educate. So then even when they do go
have sex they know who it should be with (like age and circumstances) and
how to protect themselves. Also knowing they have a safe space to talk

about those things should be a priority!"
- Jay (they/them)

"Collective education and advocacy is
especially important to me as a disabled young person. I
continue to engage in these lines of work not only to bring
awareness and destigmatize but to actualize access to
better care. I think it is important for youth to be hands on
and in the driver seat of what we envision our future to
look like. Programs like GLOW facilitate this continuity and
connect us to organizing tools."

- Grace (she/her)

"Education around HIV/AIDS is
important for youth because
students need to know that just
because we engage with people
who have HIV/AIDs. they are not
a disease. It’s crucial to raise
public awareness of HIV/AIDS
and demystify the stigma
around it."

- Amanda (she/her)

Sample Works

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