Adaptation and Pilot Testing of a Sexual Health Intervention for Female Survivors of Violence

ABSTRACT

Experiences of violence and behaviors that increase the risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted infection are high among women in the United States, and they often intersect (Meyer, Springer, & Altice, 2011; Montgomery et al., 2015; World Health Organization (WHO), 2010). However, there are few evidence-based HIV-prevention interventions that address the special needs and challenges faced by female survivors of violence (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, (CDC), 2017a). To address this gap, we adapted and pilot-tested an existing evidence-based women-focused sexual risk-reduction intervention (The Future Is Ours) with 23 self-identified female survivors of violence. The intervention comprised eight-weekly, two-hour cognitive behavioral group sessions focusing on reducing sexual-risk and improving trauma-based coping skills. Using mixed-methods analyses, the adapted intervention was determined feasible and acceptable to participants, and preliminary results suggest that participation could reduce risk factors for sexually transmitted infections. Therefore, testing on a larger scale is warranted.

KEYWORDS:

• Battered women
• intervention/treatment
• intervention
• mental health and violence
• sexuality

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the study participants, the Serving Survivors Community Advisory Board, and study staff. In particular, we acknowledge Susie Hoffman, Theresa M. Exner, Kathleen J. Sikkema, Emily Whittington, Martha M. Phillips, Sally Hodder, Jean McSweeney, Mary Kate Stewart, Carla Sparks, Pastor Michael Clowers and all of the church leadership, Nakita Lovelady, Mary “Katy” Allison, Mihomy Shade, Erica Davis, and Treopia and Hubert Bryant. The authors also thank Christine Oots and Kerry Evans at the UAMS Office of Grants and Scientific Publications for their editorial assistance.

Additional information

Funding

The project described was supported by the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences Translational Research Institute (TRI), grants UL1TR000039 and KL2TR000063 through the NIH National Center for Research Resources and the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences. Additional funding was received through the HIV Prevention Trials Network (HPTN) Scholars Program funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease, grant UL1TR000039, Arkansas Center for Health Disparities funded by the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities, grant U54MD002329, and the HIV/AIDS, Substance Abuse, and Trauma Training Program (HA-STTP) at the University of California, Los Angeles funded by the National Institute on Drug Abuse, grant R25DA035692. The content described is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the NIH.