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Interventions

SISTA

SISTA: Sisters Informing Sisters on Topics about AIDS

This group-level, gender- and culturally- relevant intervention, is designed to increase condom use with African American women. Five peer-led group sessions are conducted that focus on ethnic and gender pride, HIV knowledge, and skills training around sexual risk reduction behaviors and decision making. The intervention is based on Social Learning theory as well as the theory of Gender and Power.

The SISTA project specifically targets sexually active African-American women.

Announcement: SISTA Training of Trainers (TOT) is scheduled for September 29 - October 3, 2008 in Atlanta, GA. Please note: The training is only for Health Department trainers. If interested in applying for this training, please click here to review the criteria for attendance and registration info.  

Research and Development

DiClemente, R.J., Wingood, G.M. (1995). A randomized controlled trial of an HIV sexual risk reduction intervention for young African-American women. Journal of the American Medical Association, 274 (16): 1271-6.

Program Review Panel Information

The CDC requires all CDC-funded agencies using the SISTA intervention to identify, or establish, and utilize a Program Review Panel and complete Form 0.1113 to document this activity. The intervention researchers and developers are not involved in this activity. This is a CDC requirement for their grantees, and all questions in this regard should be directed to your agency's CDC Project Officer or to the health department funding your agency's implementation of the intervention.

The Program Review Panel guidelines, instructions for completion of Form 0.113, and the form itself are available under the Related Links section of this website.

CDC Policy on Youth Peer Outreach Workers

CDC funded (directly or indirectly) agencies using youth (either paid or volunteer) in program outreach activities, it is very important that said organizations use caution and judgment in the venues/situations where youth workers are placed. Agencies should give careful consideration to the "age appropriateness" of the activity or venue. Additionally, agencies should comply with all relevant laws and regulations regarding entrance into adult establishments/environments. Laws and curfews should be clearly outlined in required safety protocols developed and implemented by agencies directly and indirectly funded by CDC.

If you have specific questions, please contact your CDC project officer.
More Information
Core Elements
  • Convene small-group sessions to discuss the session objectives, model skills development, role-play women's skills acquisition, and address the challenges and joys of being an African American woman
  • Use skilled African American female facilitators to implement SISTA group sessions
  • Use cultural and gender appropriate materials to acknowledge pride, enhance self-worth in being an African American woman (e.g., use of poetry by African American women)
  • Teach women to communicate both verbally and nonverbally to show that she cares for her partner and needs to protect herself (i.e., negotiation skills, assertive communication skills)
  • Instruct women on how to effectively and consistently use condoms (i.e., condom use skills)
  • Discuss cultural and gender-related barriers and facilitators to using condoms (e.g., provide information on African American women’s risk of HIV infection)
  • Emphasize the importance of partner’s involvement in safer sex (i.e., enhance partner norms supportive of condom use)
Additional Information: (800) 462-9521 or (202) 884-8712
E-mail: interventions@aed.org
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