The efficacy of an HIV risk reduction intervention for hispanic women

Abstract

Culturally-specific HIV risk reduction interventions for Hispanic women are needed. SEPA (Salud/ Health, Educación/Education, Promoción/ Promotion, y/and Autocuidado/Self-care) is a culturally-specific and theoretically- based group intervention for Hispanic women. The SEPA intervention consists of five sessions covering STI and HIV prevention; communication, condom negotiation and condom use; and violence prevention. A randomized trial tested the efficacy of SEPA with 548 adult U.S. Hispanic women (SEPA n = 274; delayed intervention control n = 274) who completed structured interviews at baseline and 3, 6, and 12 months post-baseline. Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that SEPA decreased positive urine samples for Chlamydia; improved condom use, decreased substance abuse and IPV; improved communication with partner, improved HIV-related knowledge, improved intentions to use condoms, decreased barriers to condom use, and increased community prevention attitudes. Culturallyspecific interventions have promise for preventing HIV for Hispanic women in the U.S. The effectiveness of SEPA should be tested in a translational community trial. © Springer Science+Business Media, LLC 2011.