2015 APHA Annual Meeting & Expo

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Recorded Annual Meeting Presentations (RAMP) are now available for purchase.
Only $90 for presenters, $140 for registered attendees and $200 for non-attendees.

Online Program

316894
Adaptation of an evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention for homeless women: A pilot study


Tuesday, November 3, 2015

Julie A. Cederbaum, PhD, MSW, MPH, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Hsun-Ta Hsu, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Ahyoung Song, MSW, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Jaih B. Craddock, MSW, MA, School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Wichada Hantanachaikul, MPH, Preventive Medicine, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Joan Tucker, PhD, RAND Health, RAND Corporation, Santa Moncia, CA
Suzanne Wenzel, PhD, Suzanne Dworak-Peck School of Social Work, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA
Background: Limited access to preventative health services place women experiencing homelessness at increased risk for HIV. While strong evidence supports the efficacy of behavioral interventions for reducing HIV, no identified risk reduction intervention focuses specifically on the unique needs of homeless women. This study reports the results of a pilot efficacy trail of the adapted evidence-based HIV risk reduction intervention, Sister-to-Sister, modified for use with homeless women.

Methods: A pilot test was conducted with 79 women (N=40 intervention & N=39 control condition) between February and May of 2014, in three collaborating organizations providing emergency shelter, drop-in, and meal services to homeless women in Los Angeles County. Seventy-nine women, recruited from the three service sites, were assigned to either the 40-minute adapted brief skills-based intervention or an information-only control group. Data were collected at baseline and 30-days post intervention.

Results: At follow-up, women who participated in the intervention had significantly higher proportions of protected vaginal or anal sex (p<.036), expressed significantly greater intentions to use condoms (p<.008), expressed significantly greater sexual impulse control (p<.025), had more positive condom beliefs (p<.02), and reported greater condom use self-efficacy (p<.001), compared to the control group.

Conclusions: Results of this study provide promising preliminary evidence that a brief tailored skills-based HIV risk reduction for women who are experiencing homelessness can reduce HIV risk among these women. These efforts have been viewed favorably by participants and service providers because of the intervention content and feasibility of delivery in busy settings where homeless women typically seek services.

Learning Areas:

Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
Describe adaptation of an existing evidence-based intervention for homeless women Discuss findings of an adapted HIV risk reduction intervention pilot study Formulate recommendations for adaptation and dissemination of adapted EBIs into community-based settings

Keyword(s): Homelessness, Prevention

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: I was a Co-Investigator on the R21, an interventionist on the project, and an authors on publications
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.

Back to: 4274.0: HIV: Incarcerated, Transitioning, and Homeless Populations