The Wheel Project. Women Helping to Empower and Enhance Lives

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Behavioral Science

Background:

• Injection drug use is a significant driver of HIV transmission.
• Female partners of injection drug users are a vulnerable population at high risk for HIV infection.
• Targeted interventions are crucial for reducing HIV transmission within this demographic.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of two interventions aimed at reducing HIV-related sexual and drug risk behaviors.
• To assess the impact of the Women Helping to Empower and Enhance Lives (WHEEL) Project on female partners of injection drug users.
• To determine the viability of individual and group interventions for this population.

Main Methods:

• The study involved 2,794 women, the largest cohort of non-injecting female partners of injection drug users in the US.
• Two interventions were tested: an individual-based approach and a group-based approach.
• Six-month follow-up data were collected from 1,953 women to assess behavioral changes.

Main Results:

• Both individual and group interventions demonstrated significant reductions in drug use.
• Risky sexual behaviors were substantially reduced in the 6-month follow-up sample for both intervention groups.
• The findings indicate positive behavioral changes within the target population.

Conclusions:

• The WHEEL Project interventions are viable and effective for reducing HIV risk behaviors in female partners of injection drug users.
• Both tested intervention modalities show promise for public health applications.
• Further implementation of such programs could significantly impact HIV prevention efforts.