Purpose/Objectives:
The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the film treatment on safe sex behaviors, attitudes, intentions, and self-advocacy in at-risk populations of women in Boston, Massachusetts (phase II).
Significance:
The film Women's Voices Women's Lives was created by a community-based participatory action research project by 4 African-American women living with HIV/AIDS from 2001 to 2004 as phase I of an HIV prevention intervention project. The film is made up of 4 distinct sections/clips (film treatments) that address the candid experiences of (1) testing positive, (2) living with the effects of stigma, (3) the constraints of growing up as women brought up to please others and silence oneself across self-care activities, and (4) survival with living with HIV/AIDS and coinfection.
Design/Background/Rationale:
A convenience sample of 131 women from a local, community, harm reduction, drop-in center for women and from transition homes made up the sample. Many of these women had been incarcerated for drug or drug-related charges as well as prostitution and were struggling with mental health and addiction/recovery issues.
Methods/Description:
The women were asked to complete a pretest, to view the film followed by a self-efficacy exercise from a partner curriculum across 4 weeks (a film clip and exercise per week), and then to take a posttest.
Findings/Outcomes:
A statistically significant increase in self-advocacy scores was seen when comparing the mean pretest and posttest scores within the study group (P = .004) as well as in safe-sex behaviors and intentions (P = .001).
Conclusions:
The film treatment positively impacted women at risk in the Boston community. This may be in part because the film provided authentic examples of women with whom the group could identify as well as film treatment messages that are culturally relevant and gender-sensitive to this group.
Implications for Practice:
This preliminary research reinforces research studies that suggest that peer education is an effective component of changing perceptions of safe sex education. This study opens doors for phase III of a research trajectory by offering a tailored intervention that builds on film and self-efficacy exercises as intervention components that can positively affect stigma, adherence, and depression.
Section Description
The 2009 NACNS National Conference will be held in St Louis, Missouri, on March 5 to 7. More than 350 clinical nurse specialists (CNSs), graduate faculty, nurse administrators, nurse researchers, and graduate students are registered. This year's theme, "Clinical Nurse Specialists: Vision, Value, Voice," demonstrates the essential leadership skills of the CNS as well as the CNS role in implementing evidence-based practice.
Seventy abstracts were selected for either podium or poster presentations. Again, this year, there is a CNS student poster session. The abstracts addressed CNS practice in 3 practice domains (spheres of influence), emphasizing patient safety and quality care outcomes, leadership, evidence-based practice, and new ways to shape CNS practice. Topics include CNS work activities incorporated into 3 spheres of influence-patients, nursing practice, organization/system-including the development of clinical inquiry skills among staff nurses, use of simulation technology, strategies to maintain clinical excellence, CNS practice in end-of-life care decisions, and many new and thoughtful ideas to support CNS education, practice, and research. Collectively, the abstracts represent the breadth, depth, and richness of the CNSs' contribution to the well-being of individuals, families, communities, as well as to the advancement of the nursing profession.
The conference abstracts were published here to facilitate sharing this emerging new knowledge with those who were unable to attend the conference. As you read each abstract, appreciate the intellectual talent and clinical scholarship of your CNS colleagues who are advancing the practice of nursing and contributing to the health of society through improved outcomes for patients and healthcare organizations. We encourage you to contact individual presenters to network, collaborate, consult, or share your thoughts and ideas on the conference topics. Watch out for next year's call for abstracts and consider submitting for presentation at NACNS' next annual conference in Portland, Oregon, on March 4 to 6, 2010.