School of Nursing, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD, USA.
School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA.
Health Promot Int. 2023 Aug 1;38(4). doi: 10.1093/heapro/daad072.
Women in the US Virgin Islands (USVI) experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) at disproportionate rates compared to women on the US mainland. Women in violent relationships report experiencing controlling behaviours that decrease their ability to negotiate for sex using condoms or to prevent unwanted pregnancies. Though several evidence-based interventions exist to prevent either IPV or HIV, few address them through an integrated health promotion approach or attend to particular USVI cultural mores. This article describes the systematic development of a theory based, culturally tailored, integrated health promotion intervention that addresses IPV and HIV among USVI women experiencing abuse. The process included: (i) identifying and integrating evidence-based health promotion interventions, (ii) conducting formative research using focus groups, (iii) synthesizing focus group data to inform intervention development and (iv) developing a culturally and linguistically appropriate intervention specific to the needs and concerns of USVI women. The Empowered Sisters Project: Making Choices Reducing Risks (ESP) was developed through this research. ESP is a three-session health promotion curriculum focussed on enhancing sexual health and safety among women experiencing abuse. The ESP intervention components included promoting condom use, increasing IPV and HIV knowledge and developing a personalized safety plan. Health professionals facilitated individual intervention sessions using culturally tailored visual media and scripts. This program focussed on experiences of women living in the USVI and has implications for utility across the Caribbean diaspora.
美属维尔京群岛的女性经历亲密伴侣暴力（IPV）和人类免疫缺陷病毒（HIV）的比例高于美国大陆的女性。处于暴力关系中的女性报告说，她们经历了控制行为，这些行为降低了她们通过使用安全套协商性行为或防止意外怀孕的能力。尽管有几种基于证据的干预措施可以预防 IPV 或 HIV，但很少有通过综合健康促进方法来解决这些问题，也很少关注特定的美属维尔京群岛文化习俗。本文描述了一种基于理论、针对特定文化的综合健康促进干预措施的系统开发，该措施针对遭受虐待的美属维尔京群岛女性中的 IPV 和 HIV。该过程包括：（i）确定并整合基于证据的健康促进干预措施，（ii）使用焦点小组进行形成性研究，（iii）综合焦点小组数据以告知干预措施的开发，以及（iv）根据美属维尔京群岛女性的需求和关注点开发具有文化和语言适应性的干预措施。通过这项研究，开发了“姐妹赋权项目：做出选择，减少风险”（ESP）。ESP 是一个三部分的健康促进课程，重点是增强遭受虐待的女性的性健康和安全。ESP 干预措施包括促进使用安全套、提高 IPV 和 HIV 知识以及制定个性化的安全计划。卫生专业人员使用针对特定文化的视觉媒体和脚本来促进个人干预会议。该方案侧重于生活在美属维尔京群岛的女性的经历，对整个加勒比海侨民地区都有一定的影响。
