Paper: HIV/AIDS Prevention Program for Chilean Women a Cultural Adaptation of “Sepa” (19th International Nursing Research Congress Focusing on Evidence-Based Practice)

Friday, 11 July 2008: 8:30 AM

Nilda (Nena) Peragallo, RN, DrPH, FAAN , Schol of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL

Rosina Cianelli, PhD , Schol of Nursing and Health Studies, University of Miami / Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Coral Gables, FL

Lilian Ferrer, PhD , Escuela de Enfermeria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Macul, Chile

Lissette Irarrazaval, MS(c) , Escuela de Enfermeria, Pontificia Universidad Catolica de Chile, Macul, Chile

Learning Objective 1: The learner will be able to know the situation of women in Chile related to HIV

Learning Objective 2: The learner will be able to understand how an intervention progran can be culturally adapted to other population

Background: In Chile the number of women living with HIV is increasing faster compare to men. Between 1985 and 1990, the proportion of men to women infected with HIV was 15:1, but by 2003 this proportion had changed to 5:2. The feminization of AIDS in Chile is both a problem for women's health and a signal that the epidemic is spreading within the population.

Methods: Mano a Mano is an HIV/AIDS prevention initiative in for women Chile. One of its projects (R01TW--007769) was designed to culturally adapt SEPA an HIV prevention intervention based in successful work with Latinas in Chicago. Self-efficacy, Primary Health Care, and Adult learning theory modeled the program. A focus group was conducted in the community with 19 low-income women, aged 18-49.

Topics discussed during the focus group were: criteria's to participate in the program, methodologies, and sessions contents among others.

Results: For sessions' methodologies, having: a) participative sessions instead of lectures; b) warm and knowledgeable health professionals as facilitators instead of peer leaders; and c) avoiding scientific terms and numerical complex information. For sessions' contents: drug use, domestic violence, machismo, HIV/AIDS transmission, and HIV prevention strategies. For participation criteria women suggested to change age range from 18-49 to 15-65, because of early sexual initiation, adolescent pregnancy, and for enabling older women to share learned contents.

Conclusions: HCW are seen as suitable facilitators for HIV/AIDS prevention programs for Chilean women, if able to be friendly and use participative strategies, since they are knowledgeable and recognize community needs. SEPA is an HIV intervention program that is suitable to be used in the Chilean community making the cultural adaptation suggested by the women and changing the “Mexican-Spanish” for “Chilean-Spanish”. To increase women's HIV/AIDS related knowledge and self-efficacy, programs like SEPA and Mano a Mano should be implemented.

See more of: Systems and Programs for Improving Women's Health
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