Evaluation of a sexual health approach to prevent HIV among low income, urban, primarily African American women: results of a randomized controlled trial

AIDS Educ Prev. 2002 Jun;14(3 Suppl A):81-96. doi: 10.1521/aeap.14.4.81.23876.

Abstract

This randomized controlled trial evaluated an innovative culturally specific sexual health intervention-targeting, but not limited to, low-income African American women-in which HIV and sexually transmitted disease prevention strategies were combined with comprehensive sexuality education. The intervention was delivered and evaluated in community-based settings to 218 participants randomly assigned to treatment or a no-treatment control group. Participants were interviewed at pretest and 3 and 9 months after the intervention to assess changes in both sexuality and HIV risk variables. The intervention was effective in improving sexual anatomy knowledge at both 3- and 9-month follow-up. For a subset of women engaging in unprotected sex at pretest, the intervention group reported an increase in positive attitudes toward the female condom at 9-month follow-up. Reasons for the weak treatment effect are discussed in the context of challenges inherent in conducting community-based research with high-risk populations and sensitive topics. Recommendations are provided for improving sample attrition, statistical power, and response bias and for altering the intervention so as to strengthen its impact.

Publication types

  • Clinical Trial
  • Comparative Study
  • Evaluation Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Black or African American / education*
  • Black or African American / psychology
  • Female
  • HIV Infections / ethnology
  • HIV Infections / prevention & control*
  • Humans
  • Poverty*
  • Preventive Health Services / organization & administration*
  • Sexual Behavior / ethnology*
  • Sexually Transmitted Diseases / prevention & control
  • Social Marketing
  • United States / epidemiology
  • Urban Health*