Sisters empowered, sisters aware: three strategies to recruit African American women for HIV testing.

African American women account for 66% of new HIV infections among U.S. women, and many are not aware of their status.

Accessing social networks with high rates of undiagnosed HIV infection: The social networks demonstration project.

Objectives: We evaluated the use of social networks to reach persons with undiagnosed HIV infection in ethnic minority communities and link them to medical care and HIV prevention services.

Methods: Nine community-based organizations in 7 cities received funding from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to enlist HIV-positive persons to refer others from their social, sexual, or drug-using networks for HIV testing; to provide HIV counseling, testing, and referral services; and to link HIV-positive and high-risk HIV-negative persons to appropriate medical care and prevention services.

Results: From October 1, 2003, to December 31, 2005, 422 recruiters referred 3172 of their peers for HIV services, of whom 177 were determined to be HIV positive; 63% of those who were HIV-positive were successfully linked to medical care and prevention services.

Best-evidence interventions: findings from a systematic review of HIV behavioral interventions for US populations at high risk, 2000-2004.

Objectives: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's HIV/AIDS Prevention Research Synthesis Team conducted a systematic review of US-based HIV behavioral intervention research literature from 2000 through 2004 to identify interventions demonstrating best evidence of efficacy for reducing HIV risk.

Methods: Standard systematic review methods were used. Each eligible study was reviewed on the basis of Prevention Research Synthesis Team efficacy criteria that focused on 3 domains: study design, implementation and analysis, and strength of evidence.