Prime Time Sister Circles: evaluating a gender-specific, culturally relevant health intervention to decrease major risk factors in mid-life African-American women.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of Prime Time Sister Circles (PTSC), a curriculum-based, culture- and gender-specific health intervention, in assisting mid-life African-American women to decrease the major risk factors of physical inactivity, poor nutrition and stress.

Methods: One-hundred-thirty-four African-American women were involved in 11 sites across the country in PTSC and comparison groups. PTSC uses a cognitive behavioral modality based on three theoretical approaches to reduce risk factors and promote positive health changes. Pretest and posttest (10 weeks, and six and 12 months) data were collected on various indicators.

Results: t test analyses demonstrated a statistically significant increase in the women's involvement in physical activity at 10 weeks, and six and 12 months. A significant 10-week difference was found in the women's diet, with them reporting eating more nutritious foods, t(77) = 3.32, p < 0.001. The women also indicated from pretest to 10 weeks, and six and 12 months that they changed what they ate to prevent disease (40.4%, 62.8%, 97.5% and 100%, respectively). A majority of the women at 10 weeks (62.7%) and 12 months (65.9%) reported utilizing stress management strategies. There was also a 60% increase in yearly mammograms and a 54% increase in blood pressures checks. Finally, 83.7% of the women at 12 months felt that the positive changes could be maintained over their lifetime.

Conclusions: This study demonstrates the effectiveness of PTSC in modifying health-related knowledge, attitudes and certain high-risk behaviors in mid-life African-American women.