Back to Annual Meeting Page		American Public Health Association 133rd Annual Meeting & Exposition December 10-14, 2005 Philadelphia, PA

Abstract #110052

Sharon A. Louise, BA, Adult Health Services, Tarrant County Health Department, 1101 S. Main, Room 1531, Fort Worth, TX 76104, 817-321-4822, salouise@tarrantcounty.com

The “Sister 2 Sister” Program is a four session HIV risk reduction intervention targeted to African American women, based on behavioral and social science theory developed by Dr. Michael Carey of Syracuse University. The Tarrant County Health Department began delivering this EBI in the county jail in June of 2004. The jail is an excellent place to reach high risk women who frequently have had unprotected sex with multiple partners. These incarcerated women have shown avid engagement and appreciation for the program.

A core element of the program is condom skill building. As condoms and phallic proxies cannot be brought into the jail this could not be presented as the course proscribed. Approval for a “substitute” condom skill building segment took creativity and perseverance to overcome jail and state funding bureaucratic hurdles. After the completion of a study that determined the proposed substitute condom skills building did transfer to real life condom and proxy skill building, the program has flourished.

Sister 2 Sister uses education, a sense of community, behavioral skills training, sexual assertiveness training, personal action plans, communication, eroticizing safer sex, interpersonal skill building and role-playing as core elements. Class discussion targets social norms, relationship expectations, substance use and unprotected sex, self efficacy and self esteem, intentions, social support and a realistic appraisal of the costs of decisions.

Participants rate the class as a life changing, awareness raising and relationship building success.

Learning Objectives:

• 1.) Recognize the disproportionate impact of HIV infection rates in AA women
• 2.) Discuss perceived social and psychosocial issues contributing to vulnerability of HIV Infection and unprotected sex for AA women
• 3.) Articulate hands-on methods to increase condom acceptability
• 4.) Assess the effectiveness of course methods to improve participant communication skills in relation to safer sex practice.

Keywords: HIV Interventions, Urban Women's Health Issues

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

I wish to disclose that I have NO financial interests or other relationship with the manufactures of commercial products, suppliers of commercial services or commercial supporters.