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

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.