The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA

4039.0: Tuesday, November 12, 2002 - 8:45 AM

Abstract #44885

Outcome evaluation of the SAMHSA HIV and substance abuse prevention initiative: Findings from the women's programs

Hortensia Amaro, PhD, Northeastern University, Northeastern University, 360 Huntington Avenue, Stearns Building, 503, Boston, MA 02115, (617) 373-7601, h.amaro@neu.edu, Anita Raj, PhD, Department of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Boston University School of Public Health, 715 Albany St, T2W, Boston, MA 02118, Thomas Mangione, PhD, Survey Research Group, JSI Research and Training Institute, Inc, 44 Farnsworth St, Boston, MA 02210, Rodolfo R. Vega, PhD, JSI Research & Training Institute, Inc., 44 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210-1211, Kim S. Watson, BA, Survey Research Group, JSI Research and Training Institute, 44 Farnsworth Street, Boston, MA 02210, and Lucille Perez, MD, Medical and Clinical Affairs, Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, SAMHSA, 5600 Fishers Lane, Rockwall II, Rockville, MD 20857.

The SAMHSA HIV and Substance Abuse Prevention Initiative was designed to fund the development and evaluation of integrated HIV and substance abuse prevention programs for youth, women and families. The outcome evaluation of this initiative was designed to assess sexual risk and substance abuse-related behavioral change for program participants. The current presentation reflects findings of the outcome evaluation for the 23 programs funded under this initiative to work with women.

The evaluation study was conducted using a quasi-experimental design and included both an intervention and comparison group for most sites. Data were collected on 1100 participants via via 30-minute surveys at baseline, 3 months post-baseline, and 9 months post-baseline.

Surveys assessed sexual risk and substance abuse behaviors of participants, as well as participants' knowledge, attitudes, and social norms related to these risk behaviors. Additionally, surveys were designed to capture gender-specific contextual behaviors related to risk, including intimate partner violence, sexual assault history, and relationship power dynamics. Surveys also assess culturally-specific contextual variables including acculturation, immigrant status, religiosity, and experiences of racism.

Data will be presented on a) crude logistic regression analyses to assess whether safer sex and substance abuse behavioral change occurred as a consequence of program participation and b) adjusted logistic regression analyses to determine if demographics or gender or culture-specific contextual variables have an effect on program outcome.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Evaluation, Women and HIV/AIDS

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.

HIV Research and Evaluation

The 130th Annual Meeting of APHA