title: Efficacy of a booster counseling session 6 months after HIV testing and counseling: a randomized, controlled trial (RESPECT-2).
abstract: BACKGROUND
  HIV counseling prevents sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), with most of the benefit accumulating in the first 6 months.
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors conducted a multicenter, randomized, controlled trial of a 20-minute additional (booster) counseling session 6 months after HIV counseling compared with no additional counseling for prevention of STDs (gonorrhea, chlamydia, trichomoniasis). Participants were 15- to 39-year-old STD clinic patients in Denver, Long Beach, and Newark.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Booster counseling was completed by 1120 (67.8%) of 1653 assigned to receive it. An incident STD during the 6 to 12 months after initial counseling (and within the 6 months after scheduled booster counseling) was detected in 141 of 1653 (8.5%) participants in the booster counseling group and 144 of 1644 (8.8%) in the no-booster group (relative risk, 0.97; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-1.22). Three months after booster counseling, sexual risk behaviors were reported less frequently by the booster group than the no-booster group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Booster counseling 6 months after HIV testing and counseling reduced reported sexual risk behavior but did not prevent STDs.
authors.affiliation: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA.
authors.forename: Carol A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Metcalf
authors.forename: C Kevin
authors.initials: CK
authors.lastname: Malotte
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Douglas
authors.forename: Sindy M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Paul
authors.forename: Beth A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Dillon
authors.forename: Helene
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cross
authors.forename: Lesley C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Brookes
authors.forename: Nettie
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Deaugustine
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Lindsey
authors.forename: Robert H
authors.initials: RH
authors.lastname: Byers
authors.forename: Thomas A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Peterman
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D002140:California; D003120:Colorado; D003376:Counseling; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009515:New Jersey; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic / Q000592:standards; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000517:prevention & control; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic