Age range

Public Health Institute
2001 Addison St., 2nd Floor
Berkeley, CA 94704-1103

Website: www.nativehealth.org

Mission/Goals: "Native American Health Center’s mission is to assist American Indians and Alaska Natives to improve and maintain their physical, mental, emotional, social and spiritual well-being with respect for cultural traditions, and to advocate for the needs of all Indian people, especially the most vulnerable members of our community."

Notes: "The program, "The Women's Circle," consisted of one-to-one, group, video and special-event sessions, scheduled over a number of weeks, that integrated HIV prevention into topics on sexual and reproductive health. This intervention was designed to enhance women’s intimate relationships and women were encouraged to attend a mix of 9-14 sessions during the project time period. The Women's Circle addressed relevant topics such as self-esteem, relationships, alcohol and drugs, parenting and sexual abuse. Since a large proportion of women had experienced some form of domestic violence or sexual abuse, such topics were found to need a more in-depth treatment." The Women's Circle program is offered in Oakland through a collaboration between The Public Health Institute (in Berkeley) and the Native American Health Center (NAHC) (in Oakland).

Source(s): www.caps.ucsf.edu/

projects/schepoak.html; www.nativehealth.org

Type of Evaluation: Outcomes Monitoring

Objective: This project evaluated the effectiveness of a women-focused intervention in decreasing HIV risk behaviors and increasing HIV knowledge for women who participated in a program at the Native American Health Center in Oakland.

Impact/Outcomes: No significant outcome effects were found for several variables, including HIV risk, key HIV KAB and condom-related attitudes and behaviors. In evaluating participant preference of topics addressed in the intervention, 26.4% felt they were helped the most by the sessions on self-esteem. Of the participants, 36.8% preferred the group "circle" format for type of intervention session. Women reported a high rate of ongoing HIV testing, both prior to the intervention and during the intervention, and partner HIV testing. Women with higher HIV risk were as likely to remain in the program as those with lower HIV risk.