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Guide
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PARTNERS Project
OVERVIEW
The PARTNERS Project is a community-based intervention program designed to reduce the risk of unintended pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STDs) among young, sexually active Hispanic women and their partners. The three-session intervention utilizes interactive sessions with trained facilitators to inform and engage couples on topics pertaining to sexual activity, relationship quality and contraception. Although all participants involved in an evaluation of PARTNERS Project experienced increases in effective and consistent contraceptive use, no significant differences were found between the intervention and control groups.
The PARTNERS Project was designed as a culturally-appropriate pregnancy and STD prevention program for young, sexually active women and their partners. Although the program targets women initially, the intervention is based on couples’ participation. The PARTNERS Project is organized into three sessions that each run for approximately two and a half hours. Sessions are held consecutively over a three week period, are held at community-based clinics, and consist of a small group of couples. Extensive field research, interviews and a pilot intervention were implemented to ensure that the intervention would be culturally sensitive and appropriate for each community.
The three sessions incorporated a curriculum that covered a variety of topics related to sexual health and well-being. Topics included general sexual activity, relationship quality and communication, condom and other contraceptive use, monogamy, safe sex practices, pregnancy, HIV/STDs and reproductive intentions. Sessions consisted of skills-based activities, open discussion, group and individual couple activities, as well as behavior modeling, role-playing and games. At the end of each session, couples were provided with additional handouts and condoms.
Teams of trained facilitators, one female and one male, were responsible for conducting the sessions. Although facilitators varied from group to group, each group’s sessions were always conducted by the same facilitator throughout. All sessions were offered in English, Spanish or a combination of the two languages. Each participant was offered stipends to assist with child care and transportation costs. The intervention group received $15 for attending each of the first two sessions, $20 for the third session, and an additional $15 bonus for completing all three.
Approach: Women were recruited to participate in the PARTNERS Project through various techniques of active and passive (brochures and flyers) recruitment. Both women and their partners had to agree to participate in order to be included in the intervention. Couples who consented completed baseline interviews between January, 2000 and June, 2002 and received compensation of $30. Interviews lasted approximately one hour and were completed separately for each member of a couple. Of the 202 couples with baseline interviews, 72 percent ultimately enrolled.
Upon completion of the initial interview and enrollment, participants were organized into groups of six to twelve couples. These groups were then randomly assigned to either a treatment (n=69) or comparison (n=72) condition. The treatment cohort received the three sessions previously described. The control group received a single informational session which lasted approximately two hours and coincided with the first session of the intervention group. The session was taught by the same trained facilitators who ran the intervention component. This informational session focused on contraceptive use and HIV/STDs and included a question and answer component, as well as videos, brochures, condoms and referrals. The comparison group received $15 for attending the informational session.
Follow-up interviews were conducted with both male and female participants three months after program completion and again at six months with female participants only. Again, participants were offered compensation for completion of an interview. Seventy-three percent (n=107) of participants completed a three-month follow-up and were included in analyses.
All interviews were conducted using a computer-assisted survey. This technique allowed participants to submit answers directly into the computer if necessary. Measures included rates of unprotected sexual activity, consistency of condom use, consistency of effective contraceptive use, in addition to other demographic characteristics and risk factors. No use and inconsistent use of contraceptives were combined with ineffective contraceptive use.
Results: No differences were found on demographic characteristics between women in the control and treatment groups. Slight differences between groups were found for men on measures of income and relationship duration, although these factors were not correlated with outcomes.
At the three-month follow-up, intervention couples were no more likely than control couples to report condom use. The study did find that for both groups, the number of unprotected sex acts decreased, while the consistency of condom use and proportion of protected sex acts increased. Among female participants, the study found that those who received the intervention were no more likely than those who did not to use effective contraception consistently at three and six months post program. Instead, consistent use of contraception increased for both groups from baseline up until six months. Overall, the evaluation of PARTNERS Project found no significant differences between groups.
There are several limitations to the study which may also be responsible for the lack of intervention effects. First, outside exposure to health awareness campaigns or media may have influenced participant behavior and was not accounted for in analyses. Further, the basic awareness provided to both groups by the baseline interviews may have been sufficient to temporarily alter behavior. Thirdly, the sample included in the study was drawn from a fairly homogeneous population. Finally, both members of a couple had to agree to participate in the study regardless of condition assignment. Participants may be significantly different from those couples who opted not to participate.
Harvey, S.M., Henderson, J.T., Thorburn, S., Beckman, L.J., Mendez, L., & Cervantes, R. (2004). A Randomized study of a pregnancy and disease prevention intervention for Hispanic couples. Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 36(4), 162-169.
Program categorized in this guide according to the following:
Evaluated participant ages: 18-25
Program age ranges in the Guide: 15-21, 22-25
Program components: clinic-based, provider-based, or miscellaneous; community or media campaign; counseling/therapy
Measured outcomes: social and emotional health and development; teen pregnancy and reproductive health
Program information last updated 9/28/06.
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© Child Trends 2003 |