Safer Sex Skills Building (SSSB)
An Evidence-Based Practice
Description
The goal of the Safer Sex Skills Building intervention is to decrease unsafe sexual behaviors among heterosexually active women in drug treatment. To meet this goal, the intervention promotes condom use and teaches participants safe sex negotiation skills. Two female counselors deliver the five-session intervention to a small group of between three to eight women over three weeks.
Techniques taught during the sessions, which last approximately 90 minutes each, include active problem solving, behavioral modeling, role-play rehearsal, interval practice, and troubleshooting. Counselors discuss topics such as: HIV prevention, treatment, transmission, testing, and counseling; personal risk assessment and awareness; skills for condom use, safety planning, and safer sex negotiation; partner abuse risk assessment; and "slip" behaviors.
Techniques taught during the sessions, which last approximately 90 minutes each, include active problem solving, behavioral modeling, role-play rehearsal, interval practice, and troubleshooting. Counselors discuss topics such as: HIV prevention, treatment, transmission, testing, and counseling; personal risk assessment and awareness; skills for condom use, safety planning, and safer sex negotiation; partner abuse risk assessment; and "slip" behaviors.
Goal / Mission
The goal of the Safer Sex Skills Building intervention is to decrease unsafe sexual behaviors through increasing condom use, safer sex negotiation skills, and HIV/STD awareness.
Impact
Safer Sex Skills Building decreases unsafe vaginal and anal sexual behaviors and instances.
Results / Accomplishments
At a six-month follow-up, authors report that participants who received the Safer Sex Skills Building intervention reported significantly less occasions of unprotected vaginal or anal sex when compared to participants in the HIV/STD education only comparison group (p<0.04).
About this Promising Practice
Organization(s)
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Primary Contact
Susan Tross
Department of Psychiatry HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies
New York State Psychiatric Institute
1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15
New York, NY 10032
st130@columbia.edu
Department of Psychiatry HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies
New York State Psychiatric Institute
1051 Riverside Drive, Unit 15
New York, NY 10032
st130@columbia.edu
Topics
Health / Immunizations & Infectious Diseases
Health / Prevention & Safety
Health / Women's Health
Health / Prevention & Safety
Health / Women's Health
Organization(s)
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Date of publication
2015
Date of implementation
2004
Location
USA
For more details
Target Audience
Women