SHE PREVAILS: Reducing HIV Risk for African American Women
Abstract
In the Southeastern US, HIV infection rates and health outcomes have been especially deleterious for African American women. In response, we developed ‘SHE PREVAILS,’ an evidenced-based intervention--prevention program for African American women with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders for those at-risk or living with HIV.
Proposal Summary
Program Objective: The service area surrounding Georgia Regents University (GRU) is comprised of traditionally underserved and hard-to-reach populations, commonly struggling with poverty, mental illness, substance abuse, and social stigma—all contributors to HIV infection. In the Southeast, infection rates and health outcomes have been especially deleterious for African American women. In response, we developed an evidenced-based intervention--prevention program model for African American women with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders for those at-risk or living with HIV. Method: In 2013, our team of HIV-focused providers, outreach specialists, and researchers initiated SHE PREVAILS (Supporting Health Engagement through Prevention, Recovery, and Empowerment Via Access, Intervention, and Linkage Services), which utilizes a combination of complementary evidence-based approaches tailored to the unique needs of women including: 1) community-embedded brief screening and referral for substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders; 2) motivational interviewing; 3) treatment navigation; 4) certified peer specialists and 5) trauma-informed psychotherapy and substance abuse treatment, and 6) HIV/HCV/HBV testing and risk-reduction education services. Anticipated Outcomes/Results: SHE PREVAILS aims to reduce health disparities for African American women with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders in those at-risk or living with HIV through: 1) increasing access, enrollment, and retention in culturally appropriate, women and family-centered, trauma-informed substance abuse and mental health treatment, 2) increasing awareness and implementation of safer sex practices through education and empowerment programs, and 3) increasing access to HIV and hepatitis testing and treatment for participants and their partners. Since September of 2013, we have provided screening, triage, and testing referral services to over 700 individuals and enrolled 55 women into SHE PREVAILS. Conclusions: As the program matures and undergoes ongoing evaluation of individual and combined program components, we hope SHE PREVAILS can serve as a unique intervention--prevention program for other communities of underserved, at-risk African American women.
Relevance And Significance
This proposal most closely aligns with the conference “Prevention/Intervention” track in that it describes an evidence-based, culturally appropriate HIV intervention—prevention model targeted to African American women residing in a low resource area of Georgia and South Carolina.
Session Format
Poster Session
Keywords
HIV, Mental health, Prevention, Women, African Americans, Substance abuse
Location
Room 129
Publication Type and Release Option
Presentation (Open Access)
Recommended Citation
Stepleman, Lara M.; Arnold, Kena; House, Amy; Newman-Whitlow, Cheryl; Penwell-Waines, Lauren; Valvano, Abbey; Walker, Walidah; and Kintziger, Kristina, "SHE PREVAILS: Reducing HIV Risk for African American Women" (2014). 9th Annual Rural HIV Research and Training Conference (2014-2019). 2.
https://digitalcommons.georgiasouthern.edu/ruralhiv/2014/2014/2
SHE PREVAILS: Reducing HIV Risk for African American Women
Room 129
In the Southeastern US, HIV infection rates and health outcomes have been especially deleterious for African American women. In response, we developed ‘SHE PREVAILS,’ an evidenced-based intervention--prevention program for African American women with substance abuse and co-occurring mental health disorders for those at-risk or living with HIV.
