A Brief, Clinc-Based Safer Sex Intervention for African American Men at-risk of HIV Acquisition: A Randomized Controlled Trial

APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing

3039.0: Monday, November 05, 2007 - 8:45 AM

Abstract #160837

Richard A. Crosby, PhD¹, Ralph DiClemente, PhD², and Richard J. Charnigo, PhD¹. (1) College of Public Health, University of Kentucky, 121 Washington Ave, Suite 111, Lexington, KY 40506, Afghanistan, 859-257-5678, crosby@uky.edu, (2) Rollins School of Public Health and Center for AIDS Research, Emory Univeristy, 1518 Clifton Rd NE, Room 554, Atlanta, GA 30322

Objective: To test the efficacy of a brief, clinic-based, safer sex intervention among a sample of young (ages 18-29 years) African American men newly diagnosed with an STD. Methods: A randomized control trial was conducted. Immediately following diagnosis, 266 eligible volunteers attending the clinic completed a brief assessment and were randomized to receive a personalized intervention session lasting approximately 40 minutes or routine standard of care. The sample was screened to include only men using condoms during penile-vaginal sex in the past 3 months. 197 men (74%) returned to complete a 3-month follow-up assessment, including four outcome measures. A 6-month medical records review determined post-intervention frequencies of subsequent STD acquisition. A complete case analysis approach was used. Results: Compared to men in the control condition, those receiving the intervention were significantly less likely to acquire a subsequent STD within 6 months (50.4% vs. 31.9%, P=.002). Men receiving the intervention were significantly more likely to report using condoms the last time sex occurred (72.4% vs. 53.9%, P=.007). Based on a 10-point rating scale, men receiving the intervention scored higher on the task of applying condoms to a penile model (mean difference=3.17, P=.0001). Also, men receiving the intervention reported significantly fewer sex partners (2.06 vs. 4.15, P=.0003). Finally, those receiving the intervention reported significantly fewer acts of unprotected sex (12.3 vs. 29.4, P=.045). Conclusion: Findings suggest that brief and tailored, clinic-based, intervention may be an efficacious strategy to reduce acquisition of STDs among young, African American men newly diagnosed with an STD.

Learning Objectives:

Audience members will be able to understand the relevance of the study findings to the prevention of HIV/STD among young African American men newly diagnosed with an STD.
Audience members will be able to identify potential challenges in the successful translation of this research.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Innovative HIV Interventions among Vulnerable Populations

The 135th APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 3-7, 2007) of APHA