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SISTA

SISTA

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.

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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.

 

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.

SISTA Webinars

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), with assistance from the Academy for Educational Development (AED), held eight SISTA Webinars during April 1 - June 4, 2009 to discuss revisions to the SISTA Intervention Package.

  • To view the Powerpoint presentation from the webinar, please click here. (Adobe Acrobat file)
    [Depending on the user's version of Adobe Acrobat, the page display can be changed to 2-slides or more by selecting View and Page Display from the menu bar]

SISTA Resource Guides

The Resource Guide for Adapting SISTA for Latinas

The Resource Guide for Adapting SISTA for Latinas is available for download at http://www.apa.org/pi/aids/bssv.html

This guide was created to provide practical technical assistance and resources to staff of community-based organizations who want to use the Sisters Informing Sisters about Topics on AIDS (SISTA) intervention with Latina populations. The Resource Guide for Adapting SISTA for Latinas (Guide) was developed over the course of three years by the American Psychological Association (APA) Behavioral and Social Science Volunteer (BSSV) Program in collaboration with staff of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The BSSV Program is funded by CDC to provide capacity-building assistance (CBA) for community-based organizations (CBOs), health departments, and HIV prevention community planning groups (CPGs).  

T-SISTA: A Resource Guide for Adapting SISTA for Transwomen of Color is available for download at http://www.transhealth.ucsf.edu/trans?page=programs-transitions under T-SISTA Toolkit.

SISTA Resource Guide CoverThe T-SISTA Resource Guide provides information about adapting SISTA for transwomen of color. T-SISTA features an overview of trans-specific HIV risk factors and risk behaviors, real-world adaptation examples, adaptation suggestions, and a “Sheroes” trans pride campaign. The session-by-session adaptation suggestions are based on real-world adaptations of SISTA for transwomen of color, epidemiological data, current scientific literature on transgender issues, and staff expertise at the Center of Excellence for Transgender Health (www.transhealth.ucsf.edu) and the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies (www.caps.ucsf.edu), at the University of California, San Francisco.

The Center of Excellence for Transgender Health and the Center for AIDS Prevention Studies are funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to provide capacity-building assistance for community-based organizations and transgender community mobilization.

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 need to 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.

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Relevant Links

SISTA 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)