Is HIV/sexually transmitted disease prevention counseling effective among vulnerable populations?: a subset analysis of data collected for a randomized, controlled trial evaluating counseling efficacy (Project RESPECT).
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to evaluate counseling efficacy among high-risk groups.


METHODS
We conducted a subset analysis of data collected from July 1993 through September 1996 during a randomized, controlled trial (Project RESPECT). Participants (n = 4328) from 5 public U.S. sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics were assigned to enhanced counseling, brief counseling, or educational messages. For 9 subgroups (sex, age, city, education, prior HIV test, STD at enrollment, race/ethnicity, injection drug use, exchanging sex for money/drugs), we compared STD outcomes for those assigned either type of counseling with STD outcomes for those assigned educational messages.


RESULTS
After 12 months, all subgroups assigned counseling (brief or enhanced) had fewer STDs than those assigned educational messages. STD incidence was similar for most subgroups assigned enhanced or brief counseling. All subgroups had an appreciable number of STDs prevented per 100 persons counseled, especially adolescents (9.4 per 100) and persons with STD at enrollment (8.4 per 100).


CONCLUSIONS
HIV/STD prevention counseling (brief or enhanced counseling) resulted in fewer STDs than educational messages for all subgroups of STD clinic clients, including high-risk groups such as adolescents and persons with STDs at enrollment.
Division of HIV/AIDS Prevention-Surveillance and Epidemiology, National Center for HIV, STD & TB Prevention, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. obb3@cdc.gov
Omotayo O
OO
Bolu
Catherine
C
Lindsey
Mary L
ML
Kamb
Charlotte
C
Kent
Jonathan
J
Zenilman
John M
JM
Douglas
C Kevin
CK
Malotte
Judy
J
Rogers
Thomas A
TA
Peterman
D000293:Adolescent; D016497:Adolescent Health Services / Q000592:standards; D000328:Adult; D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities; D003376:Counseling; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D012725:Sexual Behavior; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology