VOICES/VOCES (Video Opportunities for Innovative Condom Education and Safer Sex)

A single-session, video-based program for the prevention of HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs). VOICES/VOCES was designed to encourage condom use and improve condom negotiation skills, primarily among heterosexual African American and Latino men and women, aged 18 years and older, who are at high risk for HIV and other STDs.

Goal : VOICES/VOCES aims to encourage condom use and improve condom negotiation skills primarily among adult heterosexual African American and Latino men and women1 who are at high risk for acquiring or transmitting HIV or other STDs.

To implement VOICES/VOCES, health educators convene groups of 4 to 8 clients for a single, 45-minute session. Whenever possible, groups are uniform in gender and ethnicity so that clients can customize prevention strategies appropriate for a given culture. The videos present information on HIV/STD risk behavior and model condom use and negotiation. In the following small-group discussion, condom negotiation is role-played, practiced, and discussed. Also discussion of features of various condom brands in English and Spanish. At the end of the session, clients are given samples of the types of condoms they have identified as best meeting their needs.

* Incentives such as food and raffle items are provided at each session