Evaluation of SISTA and Safety Counts in “real-world” settings with African American women in Chicago

Abstract This evaluation examined (a) the feasibility of recruiting 500 African American women and implementing a novel integration of Sisters Informing Sisters about Topics on AIDS (SISTA) and Safety Counts in “real-world” settings; and (b) improvements in HIV knowledge, sexual risk behaviors, substance use, and exposure to abuse among participants. Participants were recruited from agency services, community-based organizations, and street outreach. A total of 522 women completed the program, 357 women completed all three waves of Government Performance and Results Act Surveys. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were conducted. Participants experienced improvements related to HIV knowledge, protected vaginal sex, use of crack or cocaine, and exposure to emotional or physical abuse; however, reported rates of unprotected vaginal, anal, and oral sex remained high. There is a continued need for development and evaluation of HIV risk reduction interventions and engagement strategies to effectively reach women experiencing multiple risk factors.