Advancing Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights
 
Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health
Volume 36, Number 4, July/August 2004

A Randomized Study of a Pregnancy and Disease Prevention Intervention for Hispanic Couples

By S. Marie Harvey, Jillian T. Henderson, Sheryl Thorburn, Linda J. Beckman, America Casillas, Leo Mendez and Roxana Cervantes

CONTEXT: Many Hispanic women are at elevated risk for HIV infection because of the sexual behavior of their male partner. Yet, couple-based risk-reduction interventions for this population have not been developed and scientifically evaluated.

METHODS: A sample of 146 Hispanic couples who received either a risk reduction intervention or the community educational standard of care were followed up at three months (men and women) and six months (women only) to measure the consistency of both condom use and effective contraceptive use, and the frequency of unprotected vaginal sex. Analyses were conducted to identify differences between the two groups at baseline and follow-up interviews, and changes over time.

RESULTS: At follow-up, the two groups did not differ on any risk-related outcomes; over time, both groups increased the reported consistency of condom use and of use of effective contraceptive methods, and reduced their frequency of unprotected sex.

CONCLUSIONS: If further research confirms that simply bringing couples together for a single-session, culturally appropriate risk reduction intervention helps them adopt protective behaviors, more intensive (and costly) interventions may not be necessary.

Perspectives on Sexual and Reproductive Health, 2004, 36(4):162-169

DOI:10.1363/3616204







 

 
 

S. Marie Harvey is associate professor of public health and director, Research Program on Women's Health, Center for the Study of Women in Society, University of Oregon, Eugene. Jillian T. Henderson is postdoctoral fellow, Center for Reproductive Health Research & Policy, University of California, San Francisco. Sheryl Thorburn is associate professor of public health, Oregon State University, Corvallis. Linda J. Beckman is professor of health psychology, Alliant International University, Los Angeles. At the time of the study, America Casillas, Leo Mendez and Roxana Cervantes were research assistants, Public Health Institute, Berkeley, CA.