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Promoting Prevention among Women Living with HIV: The WiLLOW Program

Learn about effective community and university partnerships for HIV prevention, focusing on the WiLLOW program. This program involves community-based organizations in prevention programs for women living with HIV, using peer-assisted approaches and involving community assets.

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Promoting Prevention among Women Living with HIV: The WiLLOW Program

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  1. Effective Community and University Partnerships for HIV Prevention: Promoting Prevention among Women Living with HIV- The WiLLOW Program Gina Wingood, Linda Felix, and Ralph DiClemente Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University and The Emory Center for AIDS Research

  2. Overview • Introductions • Current status of the HIV epidemic • Building effective community partnerships • A case study: The WiLLOW Program • Questions & Answers

  3. Introductions Who are we?

  4. Breakin’ the Ice

  5. “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

  6. We hope, We wish, We pray • We hope for a cure • We wish for a vaccine • We pray for an end to this epidemic

  7. Community Involvement • Community involvement is not a “buzz word”; it’s an active, ongoing, participatory process • Involvement of all stakeholders • Interactions must be egalitarian • Active participation --> Ownership --> Pride • There are multiple communities (i.e., agencies and affected people)

  8. Inventorying Community Assets Community agencies are available in many locales throughout the United States that provide services to support women living with HIV. These agencies, governmental and private sector, provide a spectrum of services such as: • mental health services • shelter/housing • food • medical care • transportation • supportive counseling

  9. The WiLLOW Program W = Women i= Involved in L = Life L = Learning from O = Other W= Women Funded by NIMH, Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS

  10. Involving Community Based Organizations in Prevention Programs for Women • Sista Love: A CBO that provides prevention education to women living with HIV • Jerusalem House: A CBO that provides housing to women living with HIV • HIV Specialty Clinic Advisory Boards: Women living with HIV who were peer advocates of prevention, education and care

  11. Using Community Assets in WiLLOW • Transportation • Food • Childcare • Shelters

  12. Peer Assisted HIV Prevention Programs for Women: A Promising Approach Peer Models Promote Greater credibility of information exchange • Enhanced communication in women’s language • Positive role models • An opportunity for vicarious and active learning • A supportive atmosphere for adopting preventive behaviors

  13. Involving Communities in Prevention Programs for Women Living with HIV • Collaborating with women living with HIV Initial Involvement - Being your own advocate - Sharing experiences - Empowering oneself - Feeling that you make a difference - Valuing your opinion about your life

  14. Recruiting Women into WiLLOW • Importance of hospitable staff • Pleasant personality • $$$ (initially) • Respect • Non-judgmental attitude

  15. Involving Communities in Prevention Programs for Women Living with HIV • Collaborating with women living with HIV Maintaining Involvement - Sense of belonging to a special group - Youare in charge, notyour disease - Friendship

  16. BREAK TIME!!! Let’s take a 15 minute break!!

  17. WiLLOWStudy Procedures • Train Peers and Health Educators • Recruit women into study • Provide comfortable setting • Implement educational interventions (1) 4 sessions: HIV prevention & coping (2) 4 sessions: Adherence & nutrition

  18. HIV Prevention & Coping • Session 1: Enhancing Gender Pride • Session 2: Enhancing Coping Skills • Session 3: Enhancing Communication Skills • Session 4: Enhancing Relationships

  19. Enhancing Gender Pride • Enhance self-esteem, self-worth and pride in being a woman • Discuss joys and challenges of being a woman • Emphasize important values women have

  20. Enhancing Gender Pride • Read Poem “Phenomenal Women”

  21. Enhancing Coping • R = Relax • E = Express yourself • L = Let others help • A = Allow positive thoughts • X = eXercise

  22. Enhance Communication • Passive Communication Voice: Not telling your partner how you really feel Body: Head down, soft spoken, eyes not direct • Aggressive Communication Voice: Threatening, punishing and demanding Body: Finger pointing, yelling • Assertive Communication Voice: Communicate feelings in honest nonthreatening way Body: Head up high, shoulders back

  23. Nonsexual Vignette • Getting Your Hair Done You are a bridesmaid at your best friend’s wedding tomorrow. You are excited about going to the salon to get your hair done. You walk into the salon and there are lots of women. After 40 minutes, she finally gets to you. It takes her 3 hours to wash, cut and style your hair. You’re tired of being at the salon. You look in the mirror and your hairdo is lopsided. The beautician says she wants $60 for styling your hair. What would be a Passive,Aggressive, and Assertive response?

  24. Sexual Vignette • You’re Breakin’ My Love Flow You are at a party that is winding down. You have been flirting with Sam all night, and he is responding to you. Sam asks you to come back to his house. You are in the heat of the moment and you ask him to use a condom. He says he doesn’t want to because it would breaks his love flow. How would you respond to Sam in a Passive, Aggressive, and a Assertivemanner?

  25. Evaluating WiLLOW • Recruited over 400 women • All 6 clinics that were invited to participate in WiLLOW participated • Excellent participation rates • Retention rate at 12-months follow-up is greater than 90% • Qualitative reports & process evaluation

  26. Thanks For Your Hospitality Questions & Answers More information, please contact Gina Wingood email: wingoo@sph.emory.edu Phone: 404-727-0241

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