SEPA: Adaptation of an HIV Prevention Intervention for Middle Age and Young Chilean Women

Cianelli, Rosina

Tuesday, 19 November 2013: 8:50 AM

Rosina Cianelli, PhD, MPH, RN, FAAN
Schol of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami; Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Coral Gables, FL
Natalia Villegas, PhD, MSN, RN
School of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL
Lilian Ferrer, PhD, MSN, RN
Escuela de Enfermeria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Macul, Chile
Nilda (Nena) Peragallo, DrPH, RN, FAAN
Schol of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Learning Objective 1: describe the impact of two HIV prevention intervention culturally adapted for Chilean women

Learning Objective 2: describe the HIV situation among women in Chile

Background: AIDS continues to be one of the most devastating pandemics worldwide. The last UNAIDS report indicated that in 2010, 33.3 million people were living with HIV of which 2.6 million were new cases. Nearly half of all persons living with HIV today are women. In Chile, the rapid rise in HIV cases among women is particularly alarming. Between 1986 and 1990, the ratio of males to females living with HIV was 7:1, but the ratio recently dropped to 3.6:1.Currently 15% of all persons living with HIV in Chile are female

Purpose: To describe the impact of the adaptation of SEPA, an HIV prevention intervention, among Chilean middle age and young women on: HIV related knowledge, behavioral skills, and behaviors.

Methods: A quasi experimental design was used to test the adapted intervention with 400 Chilean middle age women (182 control and 218 intervention) and a pre and post design was used to test the adapted intervention with 40 Chilean young women. Data was collected using closed-ended items for assessing a) socio-demographic factors, b) HIV-related knowledge, c) attitudes (attitude to people living with HIV, perceived barriers to condom use, self-efficacy for HIV prevention behaviors, HIV reduction behavioral intentions, d) HIV risk reduction behaviors (partner communication and condom use)

Results: Postintervention, Chilean middle age women in the intervention group had higher HIV-related knowledge, more positive attitudes toward people living with HIV, fewer perceived condom use barriers, greater self-efficacy, higher HIV reduction behavioral intentions

Postintervention, Chilean young women had higher STI and HIV related Knowledge, higher attitudes toward the use of condoms , greater perceived self-efficacy for HIV prevention and lower sexual risk taking with uncommitted partners.

Conclusions: SEPA intervention offered a model for reducing HIV for women in Chile and other Latin American countries.

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