SISTERING, INFORMING, HEALING, LOVING, AND EMPOWERING
(SiHLE)
OVERVIEW
Sistering, Informing, Healing, Loving, and Empowering (SiHLE) is an HIV prevention intervention for African American females, aged 14-18. In a random assignment study, females assigned to take part in the SiHLE intervention were compared with females assigned to a control intervention that dealt with nutrition and exercise. At both the six-month and the twelve-month follow-ups, SiHLE females reported significantly more consistent condom use than did control group females. SiHLE females were marginally less likely to report having become pregnant during the follow-up period and were less likely to report having acquired new sexual partners in the month leading up to the follow-up assessment. SiHLE females were also significantly less likely to have acquired Chlamydia during the follow-up period, but were not less likely to have acquired trichomonas or gonorrhea.
DESCRIPTION OF PROGRAM
Target population: sexually experienced African American females, aged 14-18
Sistering, Informing, Healing, Loving, and Empowering (SiHLE) is an HIV prevention intervention for African American females, aged 14-18. Social cognitive theory and the theory of gender and power informed the development of this intervention. The intervention consists of four four-hour sessions. The first session emphasizes ethnic and gender pride. The second session enhances participant awareness of HIV risk reduction strategies, including abstaining from sex, using condoms consistently, and having fewer sex partners. The third session seeks to enhance participants’ negotiation and refusal skills through role-plays and cognitive rehearsals. Condom use skills are also taught during this session. The fourth session emphasizes the importance of healthy relationships.
EVALUATION(S) OF PROGRAM
DiClemente, R. J., Wingood, G. M., Harrington, K. F., et al. (2004). Efficacy of an HIV prevention intervention for African American adolescent girls: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 292, 171-179.
Evaluated population: 522 African American females between the ages of 14 and 18 served as the study sample for this investigation. Subjects were recruited from four community health agencies between December 1996 and April 1999. In order to be eligible for the study, females had to have engaged in vaginal intercourse during the preceding six months.
Approach: Subjects were randomly assigned to the treatment group or the control group. Subjects assigned to the treatment group took part in the SiHLE intervention over the course of four consecutive Saturdays. The intervention was delivered to groups of 10 to 12 subjects by a trained African American female health educator and two African American peer educators. Subjects assigned to the control group took part in an intervention similar in format to SiHLE, but unrelated to sexual health. The control intervention included two sessions on nutrition and two sessions on exercise.
All subjects completed baseline assessments before the four-week intervention period began. Follow-up assessments occurred six and twelve months after the intervention period. At each assessment, subjects completed a self-administered questionnaire, took part in an interview on sexual behaviors, demonstrated their condom use skills, and provided vaginal swab specimens that were analyzed for sexually transmitted diseases. Attrition was low (about 10%).
Results: At both the six-month and the twelve-month follow-ups, SiHLE females reported significantly more consistent condom use than did control group females. SiHLE females were marginally less likely to report having become pregnant during the follow-up period and were less likely to report having acquired new sexual partners in the month leading up to the follow-up assessment. Vaginal swabs revealed that SiHLE females were significantly less likely to have acquired Chlamydia, but were not less likely to have acquired trichomonas or gonorrhea.
SiHLE females demonstrated greater condom use proficiency than control females at both follow-ups on the condom use demonstration task. SiHLE females also had higher condom-use self-efficacy and higher HIV prevention knowledge scores. Compared with control females, SiHLE females reported perceiving fewer barriers to condom use, having more favorable attitudes towards condoms, and having more frequent discussions with their sex partners about HIV prevention.
SOURCES FOR MORE INFORMATION
Curriculum materials are under development. Contact Cynthia Prather for details:
References:
DiClemente, R. J., Wingood, G. M., Harrington, K. F., et al. (2004). Efficacy of an HIV prevention intervention for African American adolescent girls: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of the American Medical Association, 292, 171-179.
Program categorized in this guide according to the following:
Evaluated participant ages: 14-18
Program age ranges in the guide: Adolescence, Youth
Program components: Clinic/Provider-Based
Measured outcomes: Reproductive Health
KEYWORDS: Adolescence (12-17), Youth (16+), Young Adulthood (17-24), High-Risk, High School, Gender-specific (female only), Black or African American, Clinic-based, Community-based, Urban, Life Skills Training, Reproductive Health, Sexual Initiation, Risky Sex, STD/HIV/AIDS
Program information last updated on 10/26/07.
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© Child Trends 2003 |
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