244672 Efficacy of an HIV prevention intervention for Latinas: A randomized controlled trial

Wednesday, November 2, 2011: 11:30 AM

Deja L. Er, MPH , Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
Gina M. Wingood, ScD MPH , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
Ralph J. DiClemente, PhD , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
Kira Villamizar, BS, MPH , Office of HIV/AIDS, Miami Dade County Health Department, Miami, FL
Martina DeVarona, MD, MPH , Office of HIV/AIDS, Miami Dade Health Department, Miami, FL
Janelle Taveras, BS, MPH , Office of HIV/AIDS, Miami Dade County Health Department, Miami, FL
Thomas M. Painter, PhD , Prevention Research Branch Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Delia Lang, PhD MPH , Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, Atlanta, GA
James W. Hardin, PhD , Department of Biostatistics, University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health, Columbia, SC
David W. Purcell, JD, PhD , Prevention Research Branch, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
JoAna Stallworth, PhD, MPH , Capacity Building Branch, Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, NCHHSTP, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA
Evelyn Ullah, MSW , STD & HIV Prevention Program, Broward County Health Department, Ft Lauderdale, FL
Reynald Jean, MD MPH , Office of HIV/AIDS, Miami Dade County Health Department, Miami, FL
Background: Latinas are disproportionately impacted by the HIV epidemic; being nearly 4 times as likely to acquire HIV/AIDS as white women in the US. Yet, Latinas remain an underserved population. Few interventions have demonstrated efficacy in decreasing HIV-associated risk behaviors among adult Latinas, and available interventions do not address the diversity of Latinas. This study describes the efficacy of AMIGAS, a culturally appropriate adaptation of SiSTA, a widely disseminated HIV intervention initially developed for African-American women. Methods: A randomized controlled trial recruited 252 Latinas 18–35 years of age. Participants were randomized to the 4-session AMIGAS intervention or 1-session general health comparison. Participants completed ACASI assessments at baseline and at 3- and 6-month follow-up. Logistic and linear GEE regression models were used to assess intervention efficacy. Results: Over the entire 6-month follow-up, AMIGAS participants reported more consistent condom use during the past 90 (AOR=4.81; p=.00001) and 30 days (AOR=3.14; p=.0001) and at last sex (AOR=2.76; p=.0001), and a higher mean percent condom use during the past 90 (relative change = 55.7%; p=.00001) and 30 days (relative change = 43.8%; p=.0007) prior to assessments than comparison participants. AMIGAS participants also reported fewer traditional views of gender roles (p=.008), greater self-efficacy for negotiating safer sex (p=.00001) and using condoms (p=.00001), greater feelings of power in relationships (p=.02), greater HIV knowledge (p=.009), and perceived fewer barriers to using condoms (p=.00001). Conclusions: This is the first HIV prevention trial to demonstrate efficacy of an intervention adapted linguistically and culturally for ethnically diverse, predominantly foreign-born Latinas.

Learning Areas:
Planning of health education strategies, interventions, and programs
Program planning
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1. Address the need for a culturally and linguistically appropriate HIV prevention intervention developed by Latinas for Latinas. 2. Describe AMIGAS, the first efficacious HIV prevention intervention adapted linguistically and culturally for ethnically diverse, predominantly immigrant Latinas. 3. Discuss the implications of the availability of a successful adaptation of an evidence-based intervention for use with a diverse Latina population and address how the intervention impacts condom use and consequently HIV/AIDS acquisition.

Keywords: HIV Interventions, Latinas

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I am qualified to present because I conduct and evaluate HIV prevention interventions for Latinas and African American women.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.