Specialized Cognitive-Behavioral Counseling Intervention to Reduce HIV Transmission Risk Behavior in HIV-Infected Men
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About
This study will evaluate the effectiveness of a specialized cognitive-behavioral counseling intervention in reducing sexual risk behaviors in men who are HIV-infected and report having unprotected sex with male partners who are either not HIV-infected or do not know if they are HIV-infected.
Full description
Past research has shown that HIV-uninfected men who receive counseling regarding high-risk sexual behavior are less likely to engage in such behavior with other men. The rising rates of HIV infection among gay men suggest that some HIV-infected men are still engaging in high-risk sexual activity. There are several existing counseling interventions that focus on reducing high-risk sexual behavior, but the need exists for an intervention specifically targeted to HIV-infected men. This study will focus on the development of a specialized counseling intervention to help HIV-infected men identify and re-evaluate their "self-justifications," which are their thoughts, attitudes, and beliefs when deciding to engage in high-risk sexual activity with other men. In turn, this counseling may decrease the incidence of high-risk sexual behaviors, thereby reducing HIV infection rates among gay men. This study will evaluate the effectiveness of the specialized counseling intervention versus a standard risk-reduction counseling intervention in promoting safer sexual activity among HIV-infected men.
This study will consist of two phases. In Year 1, interviews will be conducted with 30 HIV-infected men who have engaged in high-risk unprotected sex within the previous 12 months with HIV-uninfected partners or partners with an unknown HIV status. The data resulting from these interviews will aid in the development of a specialized counseling intervention that is specifically geared for HIV-infected men. In Years 2 through 4, approximately 400 HIV-infected men will be randomly assigned to receive either the specialized counseling intervention or a standard counseling intervention. All participants will attend two counseling sessions: the first will occur at study entry and the second will occur 6 months later. Outcome measurements will be assessed at the second counseling session and again 6 months later, and will include self-reports of unprotected sex and laboratory testing for the presence of sexually transmitted diseases.
Enrollment
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Inclusion criteria
- HIV-infected
- Currently receiving HIV-specific primary medical care or mental health care
- Reports at least one episode of unprotected sex (receptive or insertive) with a male partner who is either not infected or does not know if he is infected with HIV (within 12 months prior to study enrollment)
- Plans to live in the San Francisco Bay Area for the next 12 months
Exclusion criteria
- History of intercourse on a regular basis with only one person
- Insufficient understanding of English
- Cognitive disorder that may affect ability to give informed consent
- Currently enrolled in any other behavioral or clinical HIV trials that could affect participation in this study
Trial design
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Interventional model
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488 participants in 2 patient groups
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Data sourced from clinicaltrials.gov
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