Hablando Claro- Applying an Intergenerational culturally relevant approach to the Teen Health Project to prevent HIV/AIDS among Latinas in Los Angeles County

Few of the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention's Diffusion of Effective Behavioral Interventions (DEBI) involve family based-education. In an effort to promote the HIV prevention potential of the cultural characteristic of familism among Latinos, the NCLR/CSULB Center for Latino Community Health selected the Teen Health Project to adapt to the contexts of HIV among the Latino family and adolescents. The purpose of the Hablando Claro Project was to adapt the aforementioned project and test its impact as a culturally-based, family intervention on sexual communication comfort levels and HIV/AIDS knowledge in Latina family groups.

Utilizing Community Based Participatory Research techniques, focus groups were conducted in target communities with Latina adults and adolescents. Qualitative findings and formative input from promotores de salud (community health workers) were employed in curriculum development and intervention adaptation. The educational sessions include the topics of communication, mental health, domestic violence, sexual health, HIV/AIDS, and sexually transmitted infections. The two-session intervention was tested among Latina family intergenerational groups (e.g. mother and two daughters). Intervention content, discussions, and activities focused on increasing: 1) knowledge of sexual risk, 2) recognition of cultural factors that impact risk, 3) female adult-adolescent communication about sex, 4) skills and self-efficacy in HIV/AIDS and STI risk reduction, and 5) recognition of and intervention for domestic violence in the target communities. Changes in self-reported comfort in communication about sex were assessed at pre-intervention, immediate posttest, and at three-month follow-up; changes in HIV knowledge and behavior change were measured from pre-intervention to immediate posttest, and follow-up.