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Brief and Intensive Behavioral Interventions to Promote Sexual Risk Reduction among STD Clinic Patients: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial

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Abstract

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the separate and combined effectiveness of brief and intensive interventions for sexual risk reduction among patients at a sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinic. Patients (N =1483; 54% men; 64% African-American; M = 29.2 years old) were recruited from a publicly funded, walk-in STD clinic. Patients completed a baseline assessment, and then were randomized to one of six intervention arms; each arm combined a brief intervention with an intensive intervention. The interventions provided different levels of information, motivational counseling, and behavioral skills training, guided by theory, formative research, and empiric precedent. Follow-up assessments, including STD screening, occurred at 3, 6, and 12 months post-intervention. The results showed that infection rates declined from 18.1% at baseline to 4.5% at 12 months. At a 3-month follow-up, patients reported fewer sexual partners, fewer episodes of unprotected sex, and a lower percentage of unprotected sexual events; they strengthened sexual health knowledge, safer sex attitudes and intentions, and self-efficacy beliefs. No consistent pattern of differential risk reduction was observed among the six intervention conditions, nor was any evidence of decay from 3 to 12-month follow-ups obtained. We conclude that implementing behavioral interventions in a STD clinic was associated with significant reduction of sexual risk behavior and risk antecedents.

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Acknowledgments

This study was supported by grant R01MH068171 from the Center for Mental Health Research on AIDS, National Institute of Mental Health to Michael P. Carey.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Health and Behavior, Syracuse University, 430 Huntington Hall, Syracuse, NY, 13244-2340, USA

    Michael P. Carey, Theresa E. Senn & Peter A. Vanable

  2. School of Medicine, University of Rochester, Rochester, NY, USA

    Patricia Coury-Doniger & Marguerite A. Urban

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  1. Michael P. Carey
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  2. Theresa E. Senn
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  3. Peter A. Vanable
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  4. Patricia Coury-Doniger
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  5. Marguerite A. Urban
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Correspondence to Michael P. Carey.

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Carey, M.P., Senn, T.E., Vanable, P.A. et al. Brief and Intensive Behavioral Interventions to Promote Sexual Risk Reduction among STD Clinic Patients: Results from a Randomized Controlled Trial. AIDS Behav 14, 504–517 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-009-9587-1

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