Sanchez, M., Rojas, P., Li, T., Ravelo, G., Cyrus, E., Wang, W., … Rosa, M. R. D. L. (2016). Evaluating a culturally tailored HIV risk reduction intervention among Latina immigrants in the farmworker community. World Medical & Health Policy, 8(3), 245–262. doi: 10.1002/wmh3.193

A Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) pilot study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of SEPA, Salud/Health, Educacion/Education, Prevencion/Prevention, Autocuidado/Self-care), a CDC evidence-based, culturally tailored HIV risk reduction intervention among Latina immigrants in the farm working community. The evaluation aimed to (1) examine the efficacy of  SEPA for increasing cognitive (HIV knowledge, self-effiacy, intentions for safe sex negotiation) and behavioral (condom use) HIV strategies among Latina immigrants in the farm working community and (2) identify if changes in HIV cognitive prevention strategies directly impact changes in HIV prevention behaviors in this population. The evaluation of SEPA was tested in a cohort of N=110 predominately undocumented Latina immigrants in the farm working community. Findings revealed SEPA was effective in increasing HIV knowledge and HIV risk behaviors. However, no changes in self-efficacy were found in the present sample. Specific socio-cultural and structural barriers within this community such as sexual harassment violence, undocumented immigration status and acculturative stress were not targeted in the original intervention, which may have hindered the program’s capacity to influence changes in self-efficacy. This study makes key contributions in regard to tailoring treatment services to the specific needs of Latinas in the farm working community using a CBPR approach.