Abstract

Worldwide, and in Chile, the number of women living with HIV is increasing. Depression is considered a factor that interferes with HIV prevention. Depression may reach 41% among low-income Chilean women. Depressed people are less willing to participate in behaviours that protect them against HIV. The aim of this study is to analyze the impact of Mano a Mano-Mujer (MM-M), and HIV prevention intervention, on depressive symptoms among Chilean women. A quasi-experimental design was used for this study. The research was conducted in Santiago, Chile; a total of 400 women participated in the study (intervention group, n=182; control group, n=218). The intervention was guided by the social-cognitive model and the primary health care model. The intervention consists of six 2-h sessions delivered in small groups. Sessions covered: HIV prevention, depression, partner's communication, and substance abuse. Face-to-face interviews were conducted at baseline and at 3-month follow-up. Chilean women who participated in MM-M significantly decreased, at 3 months follow up, their reported depressive symptoms. MM-M provided significant benefits for women's depression symptoms. In this study nurses participated as leaders for the screening of depressive symptoms and as facilitators of community interventions.