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Intervention Description
Intervention Package Information
Evaluation Study and Results
References and Contact Information
Intervention Description
Target Population
HIV-negative heterosexual women attending family planning clinics
Goals of Intervention
- Increase use of female condoms
- Increase protected sex
Brief Description
The Female Condom Skills Training (FEMIT) is a 4-session intervention designed to increase knowledge
about safer sexual practices, condom use skills, and ability to negotiate condom use. The first 2
sessions (2hours each) are delivered to individual participants by a health educator and focus on
safer sex education, male and female condom use, and communication skills building. These 2 sessions
include demonstration and practice of male and female condom use, address personal barriers to female
condom use, and introduce and practice effective communication skills for talking to male partners about
female condoms. The third session is conducted in small groups of 6-10 women and facilitated by 2 health
educators. This 2.5-hour group discussion focuses on barriers to and eroticization of female condom use
and negotiation skills building. The last session is a 30-minute telephone follow-up with each individual
participant to review personal goals made during previous sessions, and to identify and address any
additional barriers to female condom use. Participants also receive male and female condom supplies
based on the reported amount of sexual activity.
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Theoretic Basis
Intervention Duration
Four sessions delivered over 6 weeks, including 2 individual and 1 group session
ranging from 2 to 2.5 hours and a 30-minute telephone follow-up session
Intervention Settings
Family planning clinics
Deliverer
Health educators
Delivery Methods
- Demonstration
- Discussion
- Exercises
- Goal setting
- Interactive activities
- Lecture
- Practice
- Risk reduction supplies
- Role play
- Video
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Intervention Package Information
An intervention package is not available at this time. Please contact Dr. Kyung-Hee Choi, Center for
AIDS Prevention Studies, University of California, San Francisco, 50 Beale Street, Suite 1300,
San Francisco, CA 94105, email: kyung-hee.choi@ucsf.edu for details on intervention materials.
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Evaluation Study and Results
The original evaluation was conducted in 4 San Francisco Bay Area cities
(Concord, Mountain View, Santa Cruz, and San Francisco), California, between
2003 and 2005.
Key Intervention Effects
- Increased female condom use
- Increased any condom use
Study Sample
The baseline study sample of 409 women is characterized by the following:
- 64% White, 17% Hispanic, 11% African American, 8% Asian
- 100% Female
- Mean age of 22 years, range: 18-39 years
- 42% completed high school and 16% completed at least some college
Recruitment Settings
Family planning clinics
Eligibility Criteria
Women were eligible if they self-identified as African American, Asian, Latina or White,
were English-speakers, between 18 and 39 years of age, had 2 or more male sexual partners
in the prior year, had no known allergies to polyurethane, latex or lubricants, were
HIV-negative, had no plans to get pregnant within the next 6 months, and attended the
first scheduled intervention session.
Assignment Method
Women (N = 409) were assigned using block randomization, stratified by race/ethnicity, to 1 of 2 groups:
FEMIT intervention (n = 213) or Women’s General Health Promotion comparison (n = 196).
Comparison Group
The Women’s General Health Promotion comparison was designed to increase
knowledge about behaviors associated with major health problems (e.g.,
cancer and heart disease) and to improve motivation to change health risk
behaviors. The format and length (4 sessions over 6 weeks delivered by
health educators individually and in groups) were identical to those of
the FEMIT intervention and included a demonstration of female condom use.
Participants also received male and female condom supplies based on the
reported amount of sexual activity.
Relevant Outcomes Measured and Follow-up Time
Sex behaviors (including using a female or male condom at
least once for anal or vaginal intercourse, and anal or vaginal
intercourse protected by female condoms, by male condoms, or by any
condom during the past 3 months) were measured at 3 and 6 months
post-intervention
Participant Retention
- FEMIT Intervention:
83% retained at 3 months
83% retained at 6 months
- Women’s General Health Promotion Comparison:
87% retained at 3 months
88% retained at 6 months
Significant Findings
- Intervention participants were significantly more likely to report female condom use at least once at the 3-month follow-up (p < .001) and at the 6-month follow-up (p < .001) than comparison participants.
- At the 6-month follow-up, intervention participants reported a significantly higher proportion of vaginal or anal intercourse acts protected by any male or female condom than the comparison group (p = .028).
- Across the 2 follow-up time points, intervention participants reported a significantly higher proportion of vaginal or anal intercourse acts protected by a female condom (p = .04) and by any male or female condom (p = .032) than comparison participants.
Considerations
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References and Contact Information
- Choi, K.-H., Hoff, C., Gregorich, S.E., Grinstead, O., Gomez, C., Hussey, W. (2008). The efficacy of female condom skills training in HIV risk reduction among women: A randomized controlled trial. American Journal of Public Health, 98, 1841-1848.
Researcher: Dr. Kyung-Hee Choi
Center for AIDS Prevention Studies
University of California, San Francisco
50 Beale Street, Suite 1300
San Francisco, CA 94105
email: kyung-hee.choi@ucsf.edu
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