Impact of Integrating Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS Prevention Among Women of Color

Substance Abuse and HIV/AIDS has disproportionately affected women of color. National assessments reveal female at-risk behaviors are directly related to cultural and gender norms. The purpose of Sisters RISE is to empower women to reduce high-risk behaviors through theory based interventions addressing cognitive issues, self-perception, self-efficacy and high-risk behaviors. The outcome would enhanced skills through substance abuse prevention combined with HIV prevention; in turn reducing substance use, HIV infection and transmission by increasing safer sex practices. Recruitment in target populations with high prevalence of HIV/AIDS and substance abuse were selected and introduced to three interventions that are based on transtheoretical models of change and evidence based practices which are designed to reduce substance abuse and HIV prevention among women of color. Evaluation utilizes group level multi-session interventions with pre and post tests and a control group to capture significant behavior change with three to six month follow-up for the maintenance of changed behavior. The evaluation components revealed sustainable changes among participants in several areas related to self-perception, condom use, coping skills, and self-efficacy. The control group revealed significant changes in the implication of substance abuse prevention and its effects on HIV prevention among women of color. Detailed findings noted a direct need to expand integration capacity based on data driven findings and observable outcomes. It is vital that substance abuse prevention be supported with HIV prevention. The correlation between the two components reveal implications for increased self-efficacy among females of color.