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Wendee M. Wechsberg July 22, 2012

Strategies and Barriers to Scaling Up a Women's Empowerment Intervention in South Africa: Addressing Drugs, Sex and Victimization. Wendee M. Wechsberg July 22, 2012. Over 10 years of Intervention Studies with Women in South Africa. Thank you NIDA, NIAAA, NICHD RTI Staff MRC Staff Sizanang

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Wendee M. Wechsberg July 22, 2012

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  1. Strategies and Barriers to Scaling Up a Women's Empowerment Interventionin South Africa: Addressing Drugs, Sex and Victimization Wendee M. Wechsberg July 22, 2012 RTI International is a trade name of Research Triangle Institute.

  2. Over 10 years of Intervention Studies with Women in South Africa Thank you • NIDA, NIAAA, NICHD • RTI Staff • MRC Staff • Sizanang • Wesley Community Centre • Especially all the women in these studies TEAMWORK IS KEY TO SUCCESS

  3. Barriers/Challenges for Vulnerable Women who use Drugs & Drink Alcohol • Lack of confidence & personal power • Relationshipswith men and peers • Minimal education & skills • Lack of knowledge and skills (Self-efficacy using condoms/ lack of negotiation skills) • Gender-based violence • Co-morbidity (e.g., STIs), lack of health access • Resources limited locally • Stigma from service providers

  4. Pretoria, South Africa May 29, 2012

  5. Intersection of Culture and Context • Poor housing, high unemployment • Devaluation of girls for education attainment • Classism, racism, and sexism • STIs, TB and other diseases because of poor nutrition • Sex work is often the only option for employment

  6. Unemployment Leads to Sex Work and Sex Work Leads to Drug Abuse “I use drugs not to be afraid of people because I am shy.” “Drugs give me confidence and courage to hook clients. They keep me alert.” “I think better and can get money quickly – get the edge to look for clients.” Forty-four percent have been too high on drugs to negotiate condom use (Sunnyside sex worker study).

  7. Intersection of Culture, Context, Gender & Violence • Men drinking, men being abusive and gender-based violence in general • Gender roles and cultural expectations • Sexual expectations and rape • 40-50% of women in targeted studies have been a victim of physical IPV • Over 40% of men have perpetrated violence against a female partner Gender-based violence is the 2nd leading cause of death in the country, after HIV

  8. Adaptations of the Women’s CoOp: A Feminist/Empowerment Framework

  9. Original Women’s CoOp: Woman-Focused HIV PreventionKey concepts & components • Addressing drug dependence as a state of oppression • Supporting recovery and treatment referrals • Developing personal goals of protection & independence • Developing personal skills in making choices • Acting on goals and choices • Developing positive supports to maintain them “Empowerment-based: Step-by-step”

  10. Adapting to South Africa’s Environment and Culture Empowerment-based = Less alcohol & drug use = Greater power Focused on Gender-based violence & Condom Use Mastery

  11. Reaching and Testing Women for HIV Modal Age = 23 years Women’s Health CoOp Studies in South Africa

  12. Selected Outcomes Sex workers were more likely to: • Have past year diagnosis of alcohol or other drug abuse or dependence • Need for drug treatment (tx) and desire to go for tx • Tx unknown or tried but unable to enter • Have been physically abused • Evidence of denial of HIV status in a significant proportion of the sample • A great unmet need may exist among those who are most in need of health services because of poor access to services or delay in seeking medical care High levels of HIV, denial, access, AOD use, and abuse

  13. Reduced Alcohol Use Woman-Focused (n=290): Baseline – 3MFU (ns); Baseline – 6MFU (p<.05) Standard (n=293) : Baseline – 3MFU (p<.05); Baseline – 6MFU (ns)

  14. Reduced Unprotected Sex with Main Sex Partners: Past 30 Days Woman-Focused (n=290): Baseline – 3MFU (p<.01); Baseline – 6MFU (p<.01) Standard (n=293): Baseline – 3MFU (p<.01); Baseline – 6MFU (ns)

  15. Reduced Physical Victimization by Main Partner: Past 90 Days Paired-sample t-tests Woman-Focused (n=290): Baseline – 3MFU (ns); Baseline – 6MFU (p<.05) Standard (n=293): Baseline – 3MFU (p<.01); Baseline – 6MFU (p<.01)

  16. Does the intervention for vulnerable women work? • Less physical abuse by a main partner • Fewer days of drinking • Higher condom negotiation • Higher condom use • HIV+ women reported greater sexual control and HIV- women demonstrated greater self-efficacy for sexual discussion and were more likely to use condoms Thus, interventions targeting vulnerable women need to consider HIV risk posed in personal relationships with main partners who have multiple sex partners

  17. Research to Dissemination to Policy to Practice • Conducted a Policy Forum in South Africa • Disseminated a Policy Brief, newsletter and publications • Right to Care (PEPFAR NGO) took over clinic and staff • Started new NIH proposal for Combination biobehavioral Prevention for next generation science (reach, test, treat, retain) • Packaged the intervention for implementation, scalability and sustainability

  18. Why Package the WHC Intervention? Listed in USAID’s “Multiple Gender Strategies to Improve HIV and AIDS Interventions: A compendium of Programs in Africa” • The WHC is for vulnerable women in South Africa that addresses alcohol and drug use, sexual risk, violence, and supports empowerment.

  19. Strategies to Packaging the WHC Intervention • Talking to USAID, CDC PEPFAR, RTI • Proposal for funding • Internal funding • Pretesting/Review Phase • Pilot testing training • Final round of edits • Funding to Scale Up

  20. The Packaged Women’s Health CoOp Chapter 1: Packaged “Toolkit”: Trainer’s ManualChapter 2: Training InformationChapter 3: Intervention Cue Cards, Session 1 & 2 Chapter 4: Intervention Fidelity and Quality AssuranceChapter 5: AppendicesOptional Chapter: The Role of Outreach

  21. Reaching Women Where They Work and Live • In the bush, truck stops, mines • Brothels, shelters

  22. Barriers to Overcome when Reaching Vulnerable Women in South Africa • Daily survival (e.g. food, shelter) • Access to substance abuse treatment • Regular care for STI treatment • HIV medical monitoring and ARVs (clinics far away, out of drugs, no transport $$) • Housing • Literacy programs • Micro-financing (empowerment coops) • Life skills training (how to be independent) • Specific skills training for targeted jobs (e.g. computer skills)

  23. Partnership and Scale Up Expectations • Be clear about role and responsibilities • Conduct in-service with partners • Conduct trainings with stakeholders • Develop local strategy w/CABs of scale up • Utilize local health department capacity & local NGO linkages • Hire & train peers for outreach & the intervention • Establish resource and referral network • Establish local & reliable project materials (e.g. female condoms) • Address funding shortages, PEPFAR priorities & changes, health department limitations

  24. Strategies to Assist Staff • Staying positive, open-minded, flexible and supportive- role modeling • Having regular staff debriefings and meetings • Ongoing trainings and in-services • Having staff not be too pushy but conduct case management • Maintaining a secure and comfortable field site or mobile unit so women will come to test and receive intervention • Economize with donations from food banks, and innovate with transport • Being up-to-date with government policies (e.g. testing regs., drug txctrs.) Working with poor women who face limited economic opportunities, abuse substances, are at high risk for HIV/have HIV, and face regular physical and sexual abuse in their daily lives is difficult

  25. The Most Important Key to Success

  26. Wechsberg, W. M., Luseno, W. K., Zule W. A., Kline, T. L., Browne, F. A., Novak, S. P., & Middlesteadt Ellerson, R. (2011). Effectiveness of an adapted evidence-based woman-focused intervention for sex workers and nonsex workers: The Women’s Health CoOp in South Africa. Journal of Drug Issues. Luseno, W.K., Wechsberg, W.M., Kline, T.L., & Middlesteadt Ellerson, R. (2010). Health services utilization among South African women living with HIV and reporting sexual and substance-use risk behaviors. AIDS Patient Care and STDs, 24(4), 257–264. Wechsberg, WM, Luseno, W.K., Kline, T.L., Browne, F.A., & Zule, W.A. (2010). Preliminary findings of an adapted evidence-based woman-focused HIV intervention on condom use and negotiation among at-risk women in Pretoria, South Africa. Journal of Prevention and Intervention in the Community,38, 132–146. Luseno, W.K., & Wechsberg, W.M. (2009). Correlates of HIV testing in a sample of high-risk South African women. AIDS Care, 21, 178–84. Wechsberg, W.M., Wu, L., Zule, W.A., Parry, C.D., & Browne, F.A., Luseno, W.K., Kline, T., & Gentry, A. (2009). Substance abuse, treatment needs and access among female sex workers and non-sex workers in Pretoria, South Africa. Substance Abuse Treatment, Prevention, and Policy, 4, 11. Wechsberg, W.M., Luseno, W.K., Lam, W.K., Parry, C.D., & Morojele, N.K. (2006). Substance use, sexual risk, and violence: HIV prevention intervention with sex workers in Pretoria. AIDS and Behavior, 10(2), 131–137. References

  27. Reaching Vulnerable Women has to be at the Forefront of the HIV Global Agenda Women are more vulnerable and lack power. The Women’s Health CoOp is an empowerment-based program that could reach South Africa’s most vulnerable women as it is scaled up. For more information: www.rti.org/satei wmw@rti.org

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