A brief, clinic-based, safer sex intervention for heterosexual African American men newly diagnosed with an STD: a randomized controlled trial.
OBJECTIVE
We evaluated the efficacy of a brief, clinic-based, safer sex program administered by a lay health adviser for young heterosexual African American men newly diagnosed with a sexually transmitted disease (STD).


METHODS
Subsequent to STD diagnosis, eligible men (N = 266; aged 18-29 years) were randomized to either a personalized, single-session intervention (delivered by a lay health adviser) or standard of care. We conducted behavioral assessments at baseline and 3 months postintervention (retention was 74.1%). We also conducted a 6-month clinic record review.


RESULTS
Compared to men randomized to the control condition, those receiving the intervention were significantly less likely to acquire subsequent STDs (50.4% vs 31.9%; P = .002) and more likely to report using condoms during last sexual intercourse (72.4% vs 53.9%; P = .008). They also reported fewer sexual partners (mean 2.06 vs 4.15; P < .001) and fewer acts of unprotected sex (mean 12.3 vs 29.4; P = .045). Based on a 9-point rating scale, men in the intervention group had higher proficiency scores for condom application skills (mean difference = 3.17; P < .001).


CONCLUSIONS
A brief clinic-based intervention delivered by a lay health adviser may be an efficacious strategy to reduce incident STDs among young heterosexual African American men.
Crosby
Richard
R
Department of Health Behavior, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY 40506-0003, USA. crosby@uky.edu
DiClemente
Ralph J
RJ
Charnigo
Richard
R
Snow
Gregory
G
Troutman
Adewale
A
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D020010:Heterosexuality / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007629:Kentucky / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016730:Program Development; D015397:Program Evaluation; D040242:Risk Reduction Behavior; D012309:Risk-Taking; D012725:Sexual Behavior / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012749:Sexually Transmitted Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000517:prevention & control; D040241:Social Marketing; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult