HAPPA Program Archive HAP10

Project S.A.F.E.: Sexual Awareness For Everyone An Intervention to Prevent STDs Among Minority Women
Rochelle N. Shain, Ph.D., Reyes Ramos, Ph.D., Sondra T. Perdue, Dr.P.H., Edward R. Newton, M.D. With the assistance of: Barbara Hawkens, Maria Elena Campos, Claudette Yarborough, Leonard Johnson and Brooke Goodfriend

Developed for use in public health clinics, PROJECT S.A.F.E. is a three session cognitive-behavioral intervention designed to reduce STD infections among Hispanic and African American women. Sessions are designed to facilitate skill development to avoid infections while increasing awareness that STDs (including AIDS) disproportionately affect minority women. The intervention also helps build decision-making and communication skills, and encourages participants to set risk reduction goals. Participants gain mastery through role-play, group discussion, and behavioral skills exercises.

The original evaluation, conducted in metropolitan San Antonio, TX, between 1993 and 1994, included 617 Hispanic and African American women. Participants were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (n=313) or the control group (n=304). Intervention group participants took part in three small-group sessions while their control group counterparts received standard STD counseling. Program participants showed a lower rate of infection as well as a better understanding of risky sexual behavior as compared to the control group.