Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Feasibility and Promise of a Couple-Based HIV/STI Preventive Intervention for Methamphetamine-Using, Black Men Who have Sex with Men

  • Original Paper
  • Published:
AIDS and Behavior Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Accumulating evidence supports couple-based approaches for HIV/STI preventive interventions. Yet, to date, no studies have examined couple-based sexual risk reductions intervention specifically for men who have sex with men (MSM) from populations with elevated rates of HIV/STI transmission, such as black MSM and methamphetamine-involved MSM. We pilot tested—using a pre-/post-test design—a seven-session couple-based intervention for black, methamphetamine-using, black MSM couples engaging in sexual risk. Feasibility was assessed via recruitment and retention rates; potential efficacy relied on self-reported sexual risk and drug use prior to and two months following intervention delivery. We enrolled 34 couples (N = 68 men). Over 80% attended all seven intervention sessions, and retention exceeded 95% at two-month follow-up. At follow-up, participants reported significantly fewer sexual partners, fewer episodes of unprotected anal sex, and greater condom use with their main partner; participants also reported significantly less methamphetamine use, any illicit drug use, and number of illicit drugs used. These findings indicate that couple-based HIV/STI intervention is feasible and promising for at-risk black MSM couples.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. El-Bassel N, Witte SS, Gilbert L, Wu E, Chang M, Hill J, et al. The efficacy of a relationship-based HIV/STD prevention program for heterosexual couples. Am J Public Health. 2003;93(6):963–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. El-Bassel N, Witte SS, Gilbert L, Wu E, Chang M, Hill J, et al. Long-term effects of an HIV/STI sexual risk reduction intervention for heterosexual couples. AIDS Behav. 2005;9(1):1–13.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  3. Harvey SM, Henderson JT, Thorburn S, Beckman LJ, Casillas A, Mendez L, et al. A randomized study of a pregnancy and disease prevention intervention for Hispanic couples. Perspect Sex Reprod Health. 2004;36(4):162–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Koniak-Griffin D, Lesser J, Henneman T, Rong H, Xin H, Tello J, et al. HIV prevention for Latino adolescent mothers and their partners. West J Nurs Res. 2008;30(6):724–42.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  5. Voluntary HIV-1 Counseling and Testing Efficacy Study Group. Efficacy of voluntary HIV-1 counselling and testing in individuals and couples in Kenya, Tanzania, and Trinidad: a randomised trial. Lancet. 2000;356(9224):103-12.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Jones DJ, Chitalu N, Ndubani P, Mumbi M, Weiss SM, Villar-Loubet O, et al. Sexual risk reduction among Zambian couples. SAHARA J. 2009;6(2):69–75.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Jones DL, Ross D, Weiss SM, Bhat G, Chitalu N. Influence of partner participation on sexual risk behavior reduction among HIV positive Zambian women. J Urban Health. 2005;82(3 Suppl 4):92–100.

    Google Scholar 

  8. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HIV/AIDS Surveillance Report, 2007. Atlanta, GA: Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; 2009.

  9. Burton J, Darbes LA, Operario D. Couples-focused behavioral interventions for prevention of HIV: Systematic review of the state of evidence. AIDS Behav. 2010;14(1):1–10.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Sullivan PS, Salazar L, Buchbinder S, Sanchez TH. Estimating the proportion of HIV transmissions from main sex partners among men who have sex with men in five US cities. AIDS. 2009;23(9):1153–62.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Peterson JL, Jones KT. HIV prevention for black men who have sex with men in the United States. Am J Public Health. 2009;99(6):976–80.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  12. Colfax G, Shoptaw S. The methamphetamine epidemic: Implications for HIV prevention and treatment. Curr HIV/AIDS Rep. 2005;2(4):194–9.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Halkitis PN, Parsons JT, Stirratt MJ. A double epidemic: crystal methamphetamine drug use in relation to HIV transmission among gay men. J Homosex. 2001;41(2):17–35.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Hart T, Peterson JL, Team CITfYS. Predictors of risky sexual behavior among young African American men who have sex with men. Am J Public Health. 2004;94(7):1122–4.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  15. Auerbach JD. Principles of positive prevention. J AIDS. 2004;37(Suppl 2):S122–5.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Crepaz N, Lyles CM, Wolitski RJ, Passin WF, Rama SM, Herbst JH, et al. Do prevention interventions reduce HIV risk behaviours among people living with HIV? A meta-analytic review of controlled trials. AIDS. 2006;20(2):143–57.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Johnson BT, Carey MP, Chaudoir SR, Reid AE. Sexual risk reduction for persons living with HIV: research synthesis of randomized controlled trials, 1993 to 2004. J AIDS. 2006;41(5):642–50.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Gilliam PP, Straub DM. Prevention with positives: a review of published research, 1998–2008. J Assoc Nurses AIDS Care. 2009;20(2):92–109.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Wu E, El-Bassel N, McVinney LD, Fontaine Y-M, Hess L. Adaptation of a couple-based HIV intervention for methamphetamine-involved African American men who have sex with men. Open AIDS J. 2010;4:123–31.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  20. Bandura A. Social foundations of thought and action: a social and cognitive theory. Englewood Cliffs: Prentice-Hall; 1986.

    Google Scholar 

  21. NIMH Multisite HIV/STD Prevention Trial for African American Couples Group. Eban HIV/STD risk reduction intervention: conceptual basis and procedures. J AIDS. 2008;49(Suppl 1):S15–27.

    Google Scholar 

  22. Eaton LA, West TV, Kenny DA, Kalichman SC. HIV transmission risk among HIV seroconcordant and serodiscordant couples: dyadic processes of partner selection. AIDS Behav. 2009;13(2):185–95.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  23. Parsons JT, Schrimshaw EW, Wolitski RJ, Halkitis PN, Purcell DW, Hoff CC, et al. Sexual harm reduction practices of HIV-seropositive gay and bisexual men: serosorting, strategic positioning, and withdrawal before ejaculation. AIDS. 2005;19(Suppl 1):S13–25.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  24. van Kesteren NM, Hospers HJ, Kok G. Sexual risk behavior among HIV-positive men who have sex with men: a literature review. Patient Educ Couns. 2007;65(1):5–20.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Smith DM, Richman DD, Little SJ. HIV superinfection. J Infect Dis. 2005;192(3):438–44.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Smith DM, Wong JK, Hightower GK, Ignacio CC, Koelsch KK, Petropoulos CJ, et al. HIV drug resistance acquired through superinfection. AIDS. 2005;19(12):1251–6.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. NIMH Multisite HIV/STD Prevention Trial for African American Couples Group. Methodological overview of an African American couple-based HIV/STD prevention trial. J AIDS. 2008;49(1):S3–14.

    Google Scholar 

  28. McMahon JM, Tortu S, Torres L, Pouget ER, Hamid R. Recruitment of heterosexual couples in public health research: a study protocol. BMC Med Res Methodol. 2003;3:24.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. RESPECT-2 – single session counseling protocol–rapid test 2007. http://cdc.gov/hiv/topics/research/respect-2/counseling/pdf/RESPECT2RapidTestCounselingProtocol.pdf. Last accessed date 18 June 2011.

  30. Metcalf CA, Douglas JM Jr, Malotte CK, Cross H, Dillon BA, Paul SM, et al. Relative efficacy of prevention counseling with rapid and standard HIV testing: a randomized, controlled trial (RESPECT-2). Sex Transm Dis. 2005;32(2):130–8.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  31. Wu E, El-Bassel N, Witte SS, Gilbert L, Chang M, Morse P. Enrollment of minority women and their main sexual partners in an HIV/STI prevention trial. AIDS Educ Prev. 2005;17(1):41–52.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  32. Ghanem KG, Hutton HE, Zenilman JM, Zimba R, Erbelding EJ. Audio computer assisted self interview and face to face interview modes in assessing response bias among STD clinic patients. Sex Transm Infect. 2005;81(5):421–5.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Newman JC, Des Jarlais DC, Turner CF, Gribble J, Cooley P, Paone D. The differential effects of face-to-face and computer interview modes. Am J Public Health. 2002;92(2):294–7.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  34. Williams ML, Freeman RC, Bowen AM, Zhao Z, Elwood WN, Gordon C, et al. A comparison of the reliability of self-reported drug use and sexual behaviors using computer-assisted versus face-to-face interviewing. AIDS Educ Prev. 2000;12(3):199–213.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  35. Stall R, Purcell DW. Intertwining epidemics: a review of research on substance use among men who have sex with men and its connection to the AIDS epidemic. AIDS Behav. 2000;4(2):181–92.

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

This study was supported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Cooperative Agreement number UR6PS000300. We would like to thank GMHC and its staff for their support and assistance. We are also grateful for the contributions of Dale Frett, Jordan White, Wayne Johnson, Ilya Teplinskiy, as well as the participants and couples, without whom this work would not have been possible. The content presented in this article is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of CDC, Harlem United, or the Columbia University School of Social Work.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Social Intervention Group, Columbia University School of Social Work, 1255 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY, USA

    Elwin Wu, Nabila El-Bassel & Leona Hess

  2. Harlem United, New York, NY, USA

    L. Donald McVinney

  3. HIV Center for Clinical and Behavioral Studies, New York State Psychiatric Institute and Columbia University, New York, NY, USA

    Robert H. Remien

  4. Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA

    Mahnaz Charania & Gordon Mansergh

Authors
  1. Elwin Wu
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Nabila El-Bassel
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. L. Donald McVinney
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Leona Hess
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Robert H. Remien
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Mahnaz Charania
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Gordon Mansergh
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Elwin Wu.

Additional information

The findings and conclusions in this report are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Wu, E., El-Bassel, N., Donald McVinney, L. et al. Feasibility and Promise of a Couple-Based HIV/STI Preventive Intervention for Methamphetamine-Using, Black Men Who have Sex with Men. AIDS Behav 15, 1745–1754 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-011-9997-8

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10461-011-9997-8

Keywords

Search

Navigation