Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Effectiveness of HIV Prevention for Women: What Is Working?

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The HIV-AIDS remains a public health problem which disproportionally affects women. However, prevention strategies have rarely considered their specific efficacy for them. For this reason, this study examines the differential effectiveness of six intervention elements based on socio-cognitive theories addressing young women. A controlled between-groups design examined the change in risk profile among 167 young Spanish women (mean age 21.3 years old) involved in five sexual risk prevention interventions (informative talk, attitudinal discussion, role-play, fear induction and informative website) and one control non-intervening group (waiting list). Our findings support the differential efficacy of some HIV preventive intervention elements comparing others for women. In particular, the attitudinal discussion stands out followed by the informative talk and the role play. Contrarily, the fear induction component did not reveal relevant improvements. This study provides new evidence related to HIV prevention. Particularly, the higher efficacy of motivational components for these young Spanish women is revealed.

Resumen

El VIH-Sida supone un problema de salud que afecta, desproporcionadamente, a las mujeres. Sin embargo, los programas preventivos raramente han considerado el impacto específico que, sobre ellas, ha tenido. Por este motivo, este estudio examinar la eficacia diferencial de seis elementos (charla informativa, discussion actitudinal, juego de roles, inducción al miedo y web informativa) de intervención dirigidos a mujeres basados en teorías sociocognitivas. Mediante un estudio controlado de comparación entre grupos se examinó el cambio en el perfil de riesgo de 167 mujeres jóvenes españolas (promedio de edad: 21,3 años) que participaron en cinco intervenciones dirigidas a prevenir conductas sexuales de riesgo (charla informativa, discusión actitudinal, juego de roles, exposición al miedo y una web) además de un grupo control sin intervención (en lista de espera). Nuestros hallazgos apoyan la eficacia diferencial de unos elementos de intervención para prevenir el VIH en comparación con otros en el caso de las mujeres. En particular, destaca la discusión actitudinal (basada en componentes motivacionales) seguida de la charla informativa (que incluía conocimientos básicos) y el juego de roles (basado en el componente de habilidades). Por el contrario, la exposición al miedo no reveló mejoras importantes. Este estudio aporta nuevas evidencias relacionadas con la prevención del VIH. En concreto, con la mayor eficacia de los componentes motivacionales para esta muestra de mujeres jóvenes españolas.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Cianelli R, Ferrer L, Norr K, et al. Mano a Mano-Mujer: an effective HIV prevention intervention for Chilean women. Health Care Women Int. 2012;33(4):321–41.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  2. UNAIDS/Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS. Women out loud: how women living with HIV will help the world end AIDS. www.unaids.org/es/resources/publications/2012/ (2012). Accessed 20 Sep 2012.

  3. Bowleg L, Lucas K, Tschann JM. “The Ball was always in his court”: an exploratory analysis of relationship scripts, sexual scripts and condom use among African American women. Psychol Women Q. 2004;28(1):70–82.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. WHO/World Organization Health. Integrating gender into HIV/AIDS programmes in the health sector: tool to improve responsiveness to women’s needs (2009). www.who.int/gender/documents/gender_hiv_guidelines_en.pdf. Accessed 20 Jan 2013.

  5. Instituto De Salud Carlos III. Nuevos diagnósticos de infección por VIH en clientes de una red de centros específicos de VIH/ITS, 2003–2009. www.isciii.es/ISCIII/es/contenidos/fd-servicios-cientifico-tecnicos/fd-vigilancias-alertas/fd-enfermedades/fd-sida/InformeNuevosDiagnosticos2003_2009.pdf (2011). Accessed 1 Sep 2012.

  6. García-Sánchez I. Diferencias de género en el vih/sida. Gac Sanit. 2004;18(2):47–54.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Lameiras M, Rodríguez Y, Dafonte S. Evolución de la percepción de riesgo de la transmisión heterosexual del VIH en universitarios/as españoles/as. Psicothema. 2002;14(2):255–61.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Ballester R, Md Gil, Giménez C, Ruiz E. Actitudes y conductas sexuales de riesgo para la infección por VIH/Sida en jóvenes españoles. Revista de Psicopatología y Psicología Clínica. 2009;14(3):181–91.

    Google Scholar 

  9. Gras ME, Soto J, Planes M. Comportamiento anticonceptivo en estudiantes universitarios y riesgo de infección con el virus de inmunodeficiencia humana (VIH). Anuario de Psicología. 2002;33(1):97–110.

    Google Scholar 

  10. Faílde J, Lameiras M, Núñez AM. Conducta sexual segura y hábitos de salud en jóvenes españoles de 14 a 24 años. SUMMA Psicol. 2007;4(2):21–33.

    Google Scholar 

  11. Robles S, Piña JA, Moreno D. Determinantes del uso inconsistente del condón en mujeres que tienen sexo vaginal, oral y anal. An De Psicol. 2006;22(2):200–4.

    Google Scholar 

  12. Ballester R, Gil MD, Ruiz E, Giménez C. Autoeficacia en la prevención sexual del Sida: la influencia del género. An De Psicol. 2013;29(1):76–82.

    Google Scholar 

  13. Harvey SM, Beckman LJ, Gerend MA, et al. A conceptual model of women’s condom use intentions: integrating intrapersonal and relationship factors. AIDS Care. 2006;18(7):698–709.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Swan H, O’connell DJ. The impact of intimate partner violence on women’s condom negotiation efficacy. J Interpers Violence. 2012;27(4):775–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Calado M, Lameiras M, Rodríguez Y. Influencia de la imagen corporal y la autoestima en la experiencia sexual de estudiantes universitarias sin trastornos alimentarios. Int J Clin Health Psychol. 2004;4(2):357–70.

    Google Scholar 

  16. González-Guarda RM, Peragallo N, Urrutia MT, Vasquez EP. HIV risk, substance abuse and intimate partner violence among Hispanic females and their partners. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2008;19(4):252–66.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Amaro H, Raj A, Reed E. Women’s sexual health: the need for feminist analyses in public health in the decade of behavior. Psychol Women Q. 2001;25(4):324–34.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Zweig J, Duberstein L, Alexander K. Adolescent health risk profiles: the co-occurrence of health risks among females and males. J Youth Adolesc. 2001;30(6):707–28.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Gómez C. Preventing HIV in U.S. women and girls: a call for social action. Womens Health Issues. 2011;21(6):287–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Amaro H, Raj A. On the margin: power and women’s HIV risk reduction strategies. Sex Roles. 2000;42(7/8):723–49.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Li X, Hong Y, Poston D. Preventing HIV in women: a top priority in China’s efforts in fighting AIDS. AIDS Care. 2001;23(Suppl 1):1–4.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Wechsberg W, Lusseno WK. The need for culturally appropriate, gender-specific global HIV prevention efforts with vulnerable women. J Prev Interv Community. 2010;38(2):85–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Dixon D, Wade T, Ngalame P, White L, Herbst J, Painter T. Efficacy of a single-session HIV prevention intervention for black women: a group randomized controlled trial. AIDS Behav. 2010;14(3):518–29.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Wingood GM, Card JJ, Solomon J, et al. Preliminary efficacy of a computer-based HIV intervention for African-American women. Psychol Health. 2011;26(2):223–34.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Choi KH, Hoff C, Gregorich SE, Grinstead O, Gomez C, Hussey W. The efficacy of female condom skills training in HIV risk reduction among women: a randomized controlled trial. Am J Public Health. 2008;98(10):1841–8.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  26. Diclemente RJ, Wingood GM, Rose ES, et al. Efficacy of STD/HIV sexual risk-reduction intervention for African American adolescent females seeking sexual health services: a randomized controlled trial. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(12):1112–21.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  27. Peragallo N, Gonzalez-Guarda R, Mccabe B, Cianelli R. The efficacy of an HIV risk reduction intervention for Hispanic women. AIDS Behav. 2012;16(5):1316–26.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  28. Charania MR, Crepaz N, Guenther-Gray C, et al. Eficacy of structural-level condom distribution interventions: a meta-analysis of U.S. and international studies, 1998–2007. AIDS Behav. 2011;15(7):1283–97.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  29. Kirby DB, Laris BA, Rolleri LA. Sex and HIV education programs: their impact on sexual behaviors of young people throughout the world. J Adolesc Health. 2007;40(3):206–17.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  30. Rotheram-Borus MJ, Swendeman D, Chovnick G. The past, present, and future of HIV prevention: integrating behavioral, biomedical, and structural intervention strategies for the next generation of HIV prevention. Annu Rev Clin Psychol. 2009;5:143–67.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  31. Ajzen I. The theory of planned behavior. Organ Behav Hum Decis Process. 1991;50(2):179–211.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  32. Bandura A. Teoría del aprendizaje social. 3rd ed. Madrid: Espasa-Calpe; 1987. p. 279.

    Google Scholar 

  33. Rosenstock I, Strecher V, Becker M. Social learning and the health belief model. Health Educ Q. 1980;15(2):175–83.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  34. Ballester R, Gil MD, Giménez C. El “Cuestionario de Prevención del Sida (CPS)”: Análisis de la fiabilidad y validez. San Sebastián: X Congreso Nacional sobre el Sida; 2007. p. 135.

    Google Scholar 

  35. Demarco R, Kendricks M, Dolmo Y, Dolan S, Rinne K. The effect of prevention messages and self-efficacy skill building with inner-city women at risk for HIV infection. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2009;20(4):283–92.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  36. Mallory C, Fife B. Women and the prevention of HIV infection: an integrative review of the literature. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 1999;10(1):51–63.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Earl A, Albarracín D. Nature, decay, and spiraling of the effects of fear-inducing arguments and HIV counseling and testing: a meta-analysis of the short- and long-term outcomes of HIV-prevention interventions. Health Psychol. 2007;26(6):496–506.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  38. Singh S, Wulf D, Samara R, Cuca Y. Gender differences in the timing of first intercourse: data from 14 countries. Int Fam Plan Perspect. 2000;26(1):21–43.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  39. Carey MP, Braaten LS, Maisto SA, et al. Using information, motivational enhancement, and skills training to reduce risk of HIV infection for low-income urban women: a second randomized clinical trial. Health Psychol. 2000;19(1):3–11.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  40. Weir BW, O’brien K, Bard RS, et al. Reducing HIV and partner violence risk among women with criminal justice system involvement: a randomized controlled trial of 2 motivational interviewing-based interventions. AIDS Behav. 2009;13(3):509–22.

    Article  PubMed  PubMed Central  Google Scholar 

  41. Galbraith JS, Herbst JH, Whittier DK, et al. Taxonomy for strengthening the identification of core elements for evidence-based behavioral interventions for HIV/AIDS prevention. Health Educ Res. 2011;26(5):872–85.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Foundation for Research and prevention of AIDS in Spain (ref. 12.436).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Departamento de Psicología Evolutiva y de la Educación, Universitat de València Estudi General, Avda. Blasco Ibáñez, 21, 46010, Valencia, Spain

    María Dolores Gil-Llario

  2. Departamento de Psicología Básica, Clínica y Psicobiología, Universitat Jaume I, Castellón, Spain

    Rafael Ballester-Arnal, Cristina Giménez-García & Pedro Salmerón-Sánchez

Authors
  1. María Dolores Gil-Llario
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Rafael Ballester-Arnal
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cristina Giménez-García
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Pedro Salmerón-Sánchez
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to María Dolores Gil-Llario.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Gil-Llario, M.D., Ballester-Arnal, R., Giménez-García, C. et al. Effectiveness of HIV Prevention for Women: What Is Working?. AIDS Behav 18, 1924–1933 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0703-5

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-014-0703-5

Keywords

Search

Navigation