Adapting and Testing a Stress Management Program to Lower Heart Disease Risk in Women Living With HIV in the Southern US

What this Trial Is About

Women living with HIV in the Southern United States face a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular disease compared to women without HIV. This increased risk is linked not only to traditional factors like hypertension, diabetes, and obesity but also to heightened exposure to social and structural stressors such as poverty, discrimination, and stigma. Researchers are studying the Stress Management and Resiliency Training SMART program, which has proven effective in reducing stress responses that contribute to cardiovascular disease. The study aims to adapt this program specifically for women living with HIV in the South to better fit their cultural and faith-based contexts and to pilot the adapted intervention for feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary impact on reducing stress and cardiovascular risk. The study compares two groups one receiving usual care from their clinic and the other participating in the adapted SMART program. The SMART program is an evidence-based behavioral intervention delivered over eight weeks that focuses on meditation, mindfulness, and autogenic training to help participants manage their stress and improve psychological resiliency. The program works by reducing physiological stress responses that can worsen cardiovascular health. Participants will be observed and evaluated at multiple points, including baseline, week 8, and week 20. Assessments include measuring blood pressure, depression levels using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, anxiety using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 Scale, perceived stress levels, and resilience with the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale. The study focuses on whether the adapted program can effectively reduce stress and improve cardiovascular-related health outcomes while being acceptable and feasible for this population. The total duration of participant involvement covers these assessment points and program delivery.

Adapting a Stress Management Intervention to Reduce Cardiovascular Disease Risk