S.T.A.R.S.: Sistas Talking About Real Solutions (STARS)

STARS: Sistas Talking About Real Solutions is a health education intervention for African-American women, ages 18-29 aimed at reducing their risk for HIV. A total of 855 subjects were recruited from three Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers. Members were randomly selected from the membership database and sent a letter via mail introducing them to the project and inviting them to participate. Letters were followed up with a phone call and potential participants were screened for eligibility. To be able to participate, participants had to be African-American, female, between the ages of 18-29, single, and have at least one act of unprotected sexual intercourse within the last 6 months. Members who were eligible and willing to participate completed a 1-hour baseline assessment survey; STD testing for Chlamydia, gonorrhea, trichomoniasis, and HPV; a vaginal swab that was used to determine if they had unprotected sex. They were then randomized into one of two study conditions: (1) a 2-session HIV risk-reduction condition with a safer sex relapse prevention component (2) a 1-session control condition in which participants receive general women's health information and brochures. Participants received a booster session at 6 and 9 months to reinforce intervention materials. Participants completed an assessment survey and received STD testing at 6 and 12 months. The primary aim of this project is to evaluate the efficacy of the HIV risk-reduction/safer sex relapse prevention condition relative to the health and nutritional control group in reducing HIV-associated sexual behaviors and incident STDs over a 12-month follow-up period is to implement.