The Women and Infants Demonstration Project: An integrated approach to AIDS prevention and research

The Women and Infants Demonstration Project is a multisite, behavioral inte rvention research effort funded by the Centers for Disease Control. The pro ject is evaluating a theory-based, integrated intervention model to increas e the use of condoms for prevention of both sexually transmitted diseases ( STDs) and unintended pregnancy among women and their partners at risk of in fection with HIV. The importance of utilizing carefully targeted, credible and persistent risk reduction interventions to effect lasting behavior chan ge has become evident over the last ten years of the AIDS epidemic. The the ory-based intervention components being evaluated in this intervention stud y involve one-on-one stage-tailored outreach; the development and distribut ion of community-tailored HIV prevention materials, called role-model stori es; and the development of organizational and peer networking, all within a community mobilization framework. This article describes each of the inter vention components being evaluated during this 5-year study. Such an interv ention effort represents an important contribution in the design of communi ty-level AIDS prevention intervention efforts which support individual-leve l behavioral changes by women at risk for HIV and other sexually transmitte d infections.