Preliminary evidence suggests that sequentially changing smoking alongside other risk behaviors was more effective than simultaneous change .
Follow-up period and intervention characteristics impacted effectiveness for some outcomes .
Interventions comprising education ( e.g. , providing information about behaviors associated with health risks ) and skills training ( e.g. , teaching skills that equip participants to engage in less risky behavior ) and targeting multiple risk behaviors concurrently are associated with small changes in diet and physical activity .
Although on average smoking was reduced , it appeared changes in smoking were negatively associated with changes in other behaviors , suggesting it may not be optimal to target smoking simultaneously with other risk behaviors
CONTEXT Multiple risk behaviors are common and associated with developing chronic conditions such as heart disease , cancer , or Type 2 diabetes .
The Efficacy of an HIV Risk Reduction Intervention for Hispanic Women
Culturally-specific  HIV risk reduction interventions for Hispanic women are needed . SEPA ( Salud/Health , Educación/Education , Promoción/Promotion , y/ and Autocuidado/Self-care ) is a culturally-specific and theoretically-based group intervention for Hispanic women . The SEPA intervention consists of five sessions covering STI and HIV prevention ; communication , condom negotiation  and  condom use  ; and  violence prevention .  A r and omized trial tested the efficacy of SEPA with 548 adult U.S. Hispanic women ( SEPA n = 274 ; delayed intervention control n = 274 ) who completed structured interviews at baseline and 3 , 6 , and 12 months post-baseline . Intent-to-treat analyses indicated that SEPA decreased positive urine sample s for Chlamydia ; improved condom use , decreased substance abuse and IPV ; improved communication with partner , improved HIV-related knowledge , improved intentions to use condoms , decreased barriers to condom use , and increased community prevention attitudes . Culturally-specific interventions have promise for preventing HIV for Hispanic women in the U.S. The effectiveness of SEPA should be tested in a translational community trial . ResumenIntervenciones culturalmente específicas son necesarias para la reducción de riesgo de contraer VIH en las mujeres hispanas .  SEPA ( Salud/Health , Educación/Education , Promoción/Promotion , y Autocuidado/Self-care ) es una intervención grupal culturalmente específica con bases teóricas diseñada para mujeres Hispanas . La intervención SEPA consiste en cinco sesiones que cubren temas relacionados con la prevención de ITS - VIH , comunicación , negociación y uso del condón ; y prevención de la violencia . Utiliz and o un estudio r and omizado se probó la eficacia de SEPA con una muestra de 548 mujeres hispanas que viven en los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica ( SEPA n = 274 ; grupo control n = 274 ) . Las participantes respondieron una entrevistas estructuradas al inicio del estudio y a los 3 , 6 , y 12 meses posteriores a la intervención . Los result ados del análisis señalan que las mujeres que participaron en SEPA disminuyeron las muestras positivas de Chlamydia en orina , aumentaron el uso del condón , disminuyeron el abuso de sustancias y los episodios de violencia de pareja , mejoraron la comunicación de pareja , aumentaron el conocimiento sobre VIH , mejoraron la intención de utilizar condón , percibieron menores barreras para uso del condón , y mejoraron las actividades de prevención en la comunidad . Las intervenciones culturalmente específicas son promisorias para la prevención del VIH en las mujeres hispanas que viven en los Estados Unidos de Norteamérica . La efectividad de SEPA debe ser probada en la comunidad
Preliminary evidence suggests that sequentially changing smoking alongside other risk behaviors was more effective than simultaneous change .
Follow-up period and intervention characteristics impacted effectiveness for some outcomes .
Interventions comprising education ( e.g. , providing information about behaviors associated with health risks ) and skills training ( e.g. , teaching skills that equip participants to engage in less risky behavior ) and targeting multiple risk behaviors concurrently are associated with small changes in diet and physical activity .
Although on average smoking was reduced , it appeared changes in smoking were negatively associated with changes in other behaviors , suggesting it may not be optimal to target smoking simultaneously with other risk behaviors
CONTEXT Multiple risk behaviors are common and associated with developing chronic conditions such as heart disease , cancer , or Type 2 diabetes .