Preventing recurrent sexually transmitted diseases in minority adolescents: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the efficacy of a randomized controlled trial of the Sexual Awareness For Everyone (SAFE) behavioral intervention on teenagers (aged 14 to 18 years) compared with adult rates of reinfection with Neiserria gonorrhea or Chlamydia trachomatis cervicitis, and to identify behaviors associated with recurrent infection.


METHODS
Mexican-American and African-American females with a nonviral sexually transmitted disease (STD) were enrolled in SAFE or assigned to the control group. All participants were interviewed and examined at baseline, 6, and 12 months. The primary outcome variable was reinfection with N. gonorrhea or C. trachomatis. Secondary outcomes were changes in risky sexual behavior.


RESULTS
Teens randomized to participation in SAFE had a statistically lower incidence of recurrent N. gonorrhea and C. trachomatis at 0 to 6 months (52%, P=.04) and cumulatively (39%, P=.04) compared with teens in the control group. Cumulatively, teens as a group had higher rates of reinfection (33.1%) than adults (14.4%) (P<.001). Adolescent reinfection was explained by unprotected sex with untreated partners (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 5.58), nonmonogamy (adjusted OR 5.14), and rapid partner turnover (adjusted OR 2.02). In adults, reinfection was predicted by unprotected sex with untreated partners (adjusted OR 4.90), unsafe sex (adjusted OR 2.18), rapid partner turnover (adjusted OR 3.13), and douching after sex (adjusted OR 2.14).


CONCLUSIONS
Sexual Awareness for Everyone significantly reduced recurrent STDs in teenagers. Adults and teens randomized to the SAFE intervention had significant decreases in high-risk sexual behaviors as compared with those in the control group. Although not specifically designed for teens, the SAFE intervention worked very well in this high-risk population.


BACKGROUND
www.clinicaltrials.gov, ClinicalTrials.gov, HSC2004415H.


METHODS
I.
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Texas Health Sciences Center San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas 78229-3900, USA. thurmana@uthscsa.edu
Andrea Ries
AR
Thurman
Alan E C
AE
Holden
Rochelle N
RN
Shain
Sondra
S
Perdue
Jeanna M
JM
Piper
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D002690:Chlamydia Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D002692:Chlamydia trachomatis; D005260:Female; D006069:Gonorrhea / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D017058:Mexican Americans; D012008:Recurrence; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D002575:Uterine Cervicitis / Q000517:prevention & control*